The Monaco Grand Prix could be seeing its last leg in 2022 as the calendar year sees its fulfilment with a Grand Prix in Las Vegas.
F1 this week announced that F1 would be touring the United States thrice in 2023 as a race in Las Vegas will make a return. Thus, it would swell the calendar as Qatar and China would also make the return.
Red Bull have already raced down the Vegas strip 👀
(via @redbullracing)pic.twitter.com/37LWUOInkh
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 31, 2022
As per the current Concorde agreement, an F1 season can’t add beyond 24 races. Thus, it is certain that a European circuit may have to take the axe.
Veteran F1 journalist Joe Saward argues that it could be Monaco, which will be taking the fall. Under the Liberty media, Monaco hardly has a contract, and a Grand Prix deal with them gets renewed every year, unlike other circuits.
Thus, it is easy for F1 to just remove the venue from the list. Moreover, Monaco has also been at the least of favourites ends of fans, who think that the racing over there is usually boring.
“Which could happen. There is no contract for Monaco in Formula 1. Well there’s a contract this year. It could be the last Monaco,” Saward says to Missed Apex Podcast.
“Monaco has always had a cheap fee, because it thinks it’s more important than all the other races,” Saward says.
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Monaco Grand Prix may not be the only one
Apart from Monaco, there are other circuits that are reported to be endangered. The circuits like Paul Ricard and Spa are the prominent names on the list.
a visual representation of me taking it up with the FIA myself if Silverstone, Spa or Monza are taken off the calendar next year x #LasVegasGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/4Ht1oy86YN
— Maddie (@maddierye_x) March 31, 2022
Therefore, if anyone track among them is uprooted it could save Monaco from being ousted. The historical significance of the Monaco Grand Prix somewhat makes it indispensable.
So, F1 has a long list of tracks, in which it can discontinue to race. However, a track like Spa is mesmerizing to watch even on the screen. On the other hand, the end of the Monaco GP would be the end of a historical chapter.
Many are advocating eliminating one of the races in Italy, as it already has two races. Moreover, a third race could also be added to replace the Russian Grand Prix.
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