Monte Carlo Preview: The Twists and Turns Continue

The first back-to-back of the year takes the FIA Formula 3 Championship to the streets of Monte Carlo for the second of two quickfire rounds that will shape the next phase of the season. The legendary circuit around the Principality plays host to Round 4 of the 2024 campaign and will provide a stern test for all 30 drivers in the field.
After the old-school test of Imola, the challenges keep on coming in the form of one of the toughest venues on the calendar. Who will showcase their skills the best around the famed Monaco streets?
THE FORM BOOK
Three podiums in three rounds for Leonardo Fornaroli puts the Trident driver clear at the top after securing P3 in the Imola Feature Race. The Italian driver was unfortunate not to take victory at his home event but will be defending a slender lead in the Championship, leading on 52 points.
Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Luke Browning rebounded from contact in the Sprint Race to finish just behind his early title rival in the Feature. It leaves the Briton second in the Standings on 49 points.
Dino Begnaovic continued his streak of top five results with P4 and P5 finishes in the Imola Sprint and Feature events respectively. The Swede is third in the Championship but level with PREMA Racing teammate Gabriele Minì on 45, as the Italian sits in fourth.
Oliver Goethe’s stand-out weekend and double podium in Round 3 lifts the Campos Racing driver to fifth in the Championship on 41 points, while Feature Race winner Sami Meguetounif isn’t far behind in sixth on 38.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
In the Teams’ Standings, PREMA continue to lead the pack, but compatriots Trident closed the gap with a very strong weekend on home soil. It’s 122 points to 107 in favour of the reigning Champions PREMA, but the Italian outfits were hardly separated on pace last time out.
Campos Racing lifted themselves up to third in the Championship courtesy of Goethe’s Sprint win and Feature podium, but his teammates also did their part too, as Sebastián Montoya and Mari Boya added to the Spanish team’s 72-point total.
Hitech Pulse-Eight drop a position to fourth on 59 points, 10 ahead of ART Grand Prix in fifth.
FROM THE GRID – Luke Browning, Hitech Pulse-Eight
“Monaco is special, that’s for sure. I think any time a driver turns up to Monaco it sends a tingle down your spine. When you drive out of the tunnel and you see all the sparkles on the road, it’s such an event. Driving around there is super special. I remember going out for my first Free Practice last year and first time in Qualifying, it was an amazing result for me. I’m looking forward to heading back.
“There is an overtaking spot. I’ve seen it done into the hairpin and maybe you’ll see one of those in race one.
“Being inch perfect with the barriers and having judgement just right about how late you can brake because the track progression is just so much there. The driver that’s able to make the most of the jump in grip will be the one that comes out on top.
“With it being a street circuit, it does change your mindset a bit. I think street circuits are my thing now. Heading to Monaco, getting close to the limit and flirting with the barriers should be fun.
“I’m hoping for Pole and a win hopefully. Race one is always going to be difficult to win if you’re on pole but if we can make up one or two positions and then win the Feature Race, that would be good.”
WHERE TO WATCH US?
TECHNICAL PREVIEW
Monte Carlo’s demanding layout means teams will be looking to increase grip wherever possible, with maximum downforce used to extract as much laptime as they can. With it also being a street circuit that is scarcely used for racing outside of the Grand Prix weekend, tyre grip is at a premium and keeping the tyre degradation under control will bring rewards later in the races. Braking demand is not high either, with relatively low average speeds compared to other venues on the F3 calendar.
RACE STRATEGY
Teams will have access to the Soft compound Pirelli tyres this weekend along with Mediums that will be a carry-over from Imola. As is always the case around the Principality, overtaking opportunities are at a premium, making Qualifying even more crucial to drivers’ hopes for the weekend. As demonstrated by Josep María Martí and Gabriele Minì in the Sprint and Feature races last year, starting on pole is a surefire way to all but guarantee success.
Gareth Haynes, F2/F3 Pirelli Trackside Engineer:
“The softest Formula 3 tyres in the range display moderate degradation in Monaco, as the track is quite kind on tyres. The ability to manage this effectively can produce some overtaking opportunities, especially as the cars are narrower and more agile than their F2 and F1 counterparts, so overtaking could be more straightforward, even if getting ahead of another car on track is no easy matter here. Therefore, if you want to leave the Principality with a good points haul, it’s essential to qualify well. Because of the number of cars taking part, the session is split into two groups and being in the one that takes place when track conditions are at their best, can also play a significant role. Safety Cars are the order of the day and knowing how to manage the tyres in this situation, getting them back up into the optimum working window as quickly as possible, can be a factor.”
STAT PACK
DID YOU KNOW?
Formula 3 Qualifying in Monte Carlo is split into two groups, with odd and even numbered drivers split between Groups A and B.
15 cars run in one half of the session before the remainder of the grid runs following a very short break.
The driver with the fastest time overall will start from pole, with the fastest in the other group starting alongside on the front row.
Positions then alternate back and forth between the groups to fill out the remainder of the grid.
The sixth-fastest car from the second group will start on reverse grid pole, with the sixth-fastest car from the faster group alongside them in P2 for the Sprint Race.