McLaren boss Zak Brown has suggested that Monaco may need to adapt its historic Monte Carlo layout if it is to remain as F1's ultimate glamour event. It was announced on Thursday that F1 will head to Las Vegas from the 2023 season with a Saturday race under the lights on the famous Strip. The Las Vegas GP will become the latest glamour event on the F1 calendar, joining the likes of Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Miami and Monaco. But if Monaco is to keep its place on that list, changes may need to be made to the circuit so as to encourage better racing, says Brown, as well as finding a way to compete commercially with the likes of Las Vegas.
Brown: We must consider the show in F1
Monaco has been a mainstay on the calendar since 1955, despite a lack of overtaking opportunities at the Circuit de Monaco often diving opinions on the event. "Monaco always stood for the most glamorous part of Formula 1. I think Miami, Singapore, Las Vegas are starting to add some pretty glamorous markets," Brown told Reuter s . "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. "You do need to take into consideration history, but then I think you need to take into consideration how's the show that it puts on."
Monaco pay less than any Grand Prix host
Monaco pay just a $15 million hosting fee to stage their yearly Grand Prix. The fee is dwarfed by sums paid by Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Qatar, which pay $55 million per year each for their place on the calendar. "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," continued Brown. "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."
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