Max Verstappen does not believe that the Miami Grand Prix can ever act a replacement for Monaco, and neither can anywhere else due to the uniqueness of the Principality.
Formula 1 first visited Monaco before its world championship days back in 1929, with William Grover-Williams claiming victory for Bugatti.
21 years and one world war later, Juan Manuel Fangio crossed the line to win the first-ever championship race held at the principality with the Alfa Romeo team, who had also claimed the first championship race as a whole when Giuseppe Farina took victory in Silverstone earlier in 1950.
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Another 56 championship grand prix have followed, and it has featured winners from some of the most famous and renowned names in motorsport, such as Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Sir Lewis Hamilton, just to name a few.
However, Monaco is officially already out of contract after it agreed an emergency one-year deal with F1 when its deal expired in 2021, and there is no guarantee that it will be kept around amid the pinnacle of motorsport’s push to expand to new demographics.
The unique 3.7-kilometre track is not the only founding father of the championship be at risk either. Spa, Austria, Mexico and France are all in serious doubt going forward after the introduction of a race in Miami, and the re-emergence of a grand prix in Vegas.
The circuit that runs around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock stadium features a blend of purpose-built racetrack and street circuit features, and Verstappen was asked whether it would made a suitable replacement.
The reigning champion affirmed that, not only does Miami not carry the inimitable history that Monaco does, but it is an entirely different racetrack as a whole.
“I don’t think you can replace Monaco,” he said.
“Monaco has such a history, of course, it takes time to build that.
“And also, this is completely different to Monaco, there’s a lot more space here and the whole atmosphere is different.
“Different kind of culture as well, which is good that we have because it would be very boring to drive every time at the same culture.
“So you have to find a middle way between these kind of things – Monaco and, of course, permanent race tracks.”
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo has previously pointed out that F1 should not turn its back on “core” venues, while AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly believes it would be a “shocker” if the Principality dropped off the schedule.