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Brown tells Monaco to up its game to stay on the F1 calendar
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says Formula 1 is bigger than any single race and feels Monaco needs to improve its offering to the sport to stay on the schedule.
The Monaco Grand Prix has been ever-present on the F1 calendar, with its only absence being caused by COVID-19 in 2020. A number of new iconic-backdrop events have been added in recent years -- including racing down the Las Vegas Strip from 2023. Brown believes the often-processional race in Monaco -- that doesn’t pay a race-hosting fee -- needs updating to stay relevant.
“Monaco always stood for the most glamorous part of Formula 1,” Brown told Reuters. “I think Miami, Singapore, Las Vegas are starting to add some pretty glamorous markets.
“I think Monaco needs to come up to the same commercial terms as other grands prix and also maybe needs to work with ways they can adapt their track because, as our cars have become bigger, the racing has become more difficult.”
Brown wants Monaco to stay as part of F1 but says the historic aspect of the race should not serve as a guarantee that it is on the ever-expanding calendar at any cost.
“You do need to take [history] into consideration, but then I think you need to take into consideration: 'How's the show that it puts on?'
"There is also an element -- which shouldn’t drive our decisions but should be part of our decisions -- of: 'What’s the economic contribution to the sport?'
“I’d much rather have Monaco than not, but, just like the sport is bigger than any one driver or team, I think it's bigger than any one grand prix.”
On the latest event to join the calendar in Las Vegas, Brown says the race is ideally placed alongside Austin and Miami in serving the growing US fanbase, adding: “I think these are three awesome markets. I think it’s almost the perfect schedule from an American standpoint.”
Presented by:
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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