Wurz offers three track fixes to solve Monaco’s overtaking woes

GPDA chairman and circuit designer Alex Wurz has stepped forward with several proposal on how to transform the Monaco Grand Prix circuit amid renewed criticism of the prestigious venue following last weekend’s processional race.

Despite a mandated two-stop rule, last weekend’s race produced just two on-track overtakes, while the top four drivers, led by McLaren’s Lando Norris, finished in the order in which they started.

Through his track engineering company, Wurz Design, which has designed Qiddiya Speed Park, set to become the venue of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from 2027 onwards, Wurz has outlined in a video posted on social media a trio of targeted circuit revisions designed to unlock overtaking opportunities and inject much-needed dynamism into the sport’s most iconic event.

Pushing the Nouvelle Chicane Further Downtrack

The former Grand Prix driver’s first idea focuses on enhancing what is already the closest Monaco comes to a real overtaking opportunity – the run into the Nouvelle Chicane. His suggestion: move the chicane closer to Tabac to improve overtaking probability.

“You can prepare to overtake or execute to overtake with a higher probability if you’re moving the chicane later,” Wurz explained. “That means the defending for this corner, which is quite easy due to the kink and the bumps to defend the corner, will become more difficult.”

Importantly, Wurz believes the proposal is feasible even within Monaco’s spatial limitations. The key lies in widening the track slightly and adjusting curbing to preserve the character of one of his favorite corners on the calendar.

“Tabac is my favourite corner,” he added. “(It’s) really difficult. We still have to time the gap in a sense that it’s not flat out, (so) that you still need to lift and touch the brakes slightly to not change the character which is very close to our heart of all the race drivers.”

Rascasse Reimagined for Divebomb Drama

Another bottleneck Wurz has in his sights is Rascasse. By subtly shifting the apex outward by two to three metres, he argues the corner could be transformed from a dead end into a battleground.

“You will open the corner much more for a divebomb,” he explained. “That means any driver ahead will either have to defend or accept that he leaves the door open.

“If you are defending, you will come out much slower, so you’re creating a train behind you and the pressure on all of the drivers will simply increase.

“I think this is a small trick, quite easy to realise, but should at least engage in more fighting, more intense pressure, and perhaps overtaking.”

This adjustment wouldn’t require wholesale reconstruction, but Wurz believes it could be a catalyst for race-defining moments in a section where space is at a premium.

Widening the Famous Fairmont Hairpin

Lastly, Wurz is proposing a subtle but significant change to the Fairmont Hairpin – the slowest and arguably most iconic turn in Formula 1. His plan is to widen the hairpin by approximately 2.4 metres, primarily by eliminating the inside curb and using every available inch of tarmac.

“It will not change the character of this corner but you would enable an overtaking divebomb,” he said.

“The hairpin is very tight so we need to also enlarge the track on the right side, lose the curb, (add) asphalt all the way to this physical wall so we have the turn in radius.

“If that is failing, you still have now what you are gaining with the additional asphalt. It will lead into a little bit more defending so there’s a backlash onto the field.”

Beyond improving the hairpin itself, Wurz sees this as a setup point for better racing all the way into the revised Nouvelle Chicane, creating a domino effect of opportunities.

Preserving Monaco’s Soul, Enhancing Its Racing

For Wurz, the goal is not to rewrite Monaco’s DNA but to refine it in a way that respects its legacy while adapting to modern F1’s demands.

By addressing three pivotal areas – the Nouvelle Chicane, Rascasse, and Fairmont Hairpin – Wurz believes Monaco can finally begin to offer the kind of on-track action that matches its off-track allure.

Whether Formula 1 and the FIA, and indeed the Automobile Club de Monaco itself, take up his vision remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the calls for change are growing louder, and Wurz has offered a blueprint rooted in both experience and practicality.

Read also: Horner says Monaco must ‘move with the times’ – urges overhaul

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