F1 2026: Monaco Grand Prix Preview and Predictions

Racing has reached the Principality for one of the most iconic races of the season.

As Formula One gets ready for one of the oldest races on the calendar, there are plenty of things to look forward to, including further Mercedes domination, a big regulation change from the FIA, and a confident Ferrari.

For the 2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix, here we present our preview and predictions.

Advantage Ferrari

Ferrari come into the Monaco GP being the only team who have scored double points in all the races so far this season. They might not have a win under their belt yet, but the Scuderia will come to the Principality high on confidence for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that this is Charles Leclerc’s home race, with the Monégasque having won here two years ago. Against a dominant McLaren last season, Leclerc managed to stay in touch to finish a close second, so he will be high on confidence once again. That said, Ferrari know that their task will be cut out given the start Mercedes have had, with McLaren also looking like they’ve regained some form.

Another reason why Ferrari will feel confident coming into this race is the change the FIA has made. The Monaco race will not feature a designated Straight Mode zone, which means the movable wings will be unavailable. This should play right into Ferrari’s hands, with their car currently suffering from low power from their PU at high engine speeds despite being one of the strongest challengers with regard to chassis and aerodynamics through medium- and low-speed corners.

Downforce will be key once again, with Mercedes having a big advantage. But Ferrari will be in the mix for the win, and don’t be surprised if Leclerc — or his teammate, Lewis Hamilton — finishes on the top step of the podium on Sunday.

Pole prediction: Charles Leclerc / Kimi Antonelli
Race winners prediction: Mercedes / Ferrari

Midfield consistency

One of the surprises of the 2026 F1 season has been Alpine’s performance. The French team had a season to forget last year, finishing bottom in the Constructors’ Standings, almost 50 points behind Sauber in ninth, but this time around it looks like they have addressed some of their concerns.

Alpine have scored points in every race this season and scored their second double points finish last time around in Canada, with drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto helping the team occupy the best-of-the-rest spot in the Constructors’ table despite their continuing struggles on Saturdays and strong race pace.

Despite a double points haul in Canada, both drivers were vocal about getting more out of the car, with Gasly even saying he was not comfortable in the challenger. If Alpine still manage to secure points finishes, it will be a promising sight, and with upgrades set to come in for the upcoming races, expect them to hold their own in the midfield and remain strong points scorers.

A big fall from grace

One of the two teams who are yet to score and objectively look a few steps behind their competitors is Aston Martin. The British outfit, once fighting for wins with Red Bull in 2023, have had a shocking fall from grace, going from being the best of the rest and threatening to challenge the frontrunners to looking like they don’t have an idea about how to score a point.

Reliability and technical issues plagued Aston Martin’s start to the season, and just when it looked like things might be getting better, there was another race to forget in Canada. No race pace, no car performance, and not being able to get the challenger to adapt to the conditions meant that Fernando Alonso failed to finish the race, while Lance Stroll finished P15, with 16 cars seeing the chequered flag.

With less focus on the engine, Aston Martin may have a better weekend in Monaco, but don’t expect an instant uptick in performance from the Silverstone-based outfit.

F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2026: Race details

Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Venue: La Condamine and Monte Carlo, Monaco
Practice Session 1 time: 17:00 IST, June 5, 2026
Practice Session 2 time: 20:30 IST, June 5, 2026
Practice Session 3 time: 16:00 IST, June 6, 2026
Qualifying time: 19:30 IST, June 6, 2026
Main race time: 18:30 IST, June 7, 2026
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode