Modified Components for the Monaco Grand Prix Circuit

The distinctive layout of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit has compelled every Formula 1 team to introduce a customized front suspension and brake duct package, along with their highest downforce components.

Tailoring Front Suspension for Monaco’s Hairpins

Every year, teams bring a tailor-made front suspension package specifically designed for the Monaco round to handle their full-lock steering inputs around the tightest hairpins. Although the structural members remain largely unchanged, the trackrod and wishbone fairings are reshaped to provide adequate clearance at full steering lock.

The brake duct shapes are also modified; given that these are usually located next to the outboard position of the wishbones, they must ensure that none of the air scoop interferes with the wheel travel.

Adapting to Monaco’s Low Speeds

Since Monaco is the circuit with the lowest average speed on the calendar, the cars experience much lower relative air speeds. This means that in some aspects, the brake ducts and exits may need to be larger to meet the air mass flow rate targets for adequate cooling.

The lower relative air speed also affects aerodynamics, leading teams to mount their biggest wings onto the cars to generate more downforce. Teams are not overly concerned with the ‘isochronal ratio’ (the ratio of downforce to drag) in Monaco, so adding extra drag is not a significant concern.

Innovations from McLaren and Aston Martin

McLaren is planning to experiment with its rear wing arrangements, having registered two different beam wing designs and a ‘medium-high downforce’ rear wing. It will likely mix and match these options to determine the optimal performance.

Aston Martin has also focused on refining its upper front wing flap to expand its range of options. If the team feels that its AMR25 lacks responsiveness at the front, it may opt for the new, highly-loaded flap to enhance front-end performance.

Tradition and Evolution in Team Strategy

Given the evolutionary nature of the 2025 cars, a few teams have chosen to bring last year’s Monaco rear wings. Ferrari and Williams have openly stated that they have the option of using last year’s high-downforce wings, although others may be keeping this information confidential.

These are primarily circuit-specific updates; we won’t see the modified suspension fairings again this year, while the higher-downforce rear wings might only appear at circuits like Hungary and Singapore – and even then, their higher average speeds will allow teams to extract more performance from the underbody.