With the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix in the books, the long-standing street circuit was subject to special rule changes yet again. After abandoning last year’s two-stop rule, the FIA is rolled out new specific regulations for Monaco, citing safety concerns—no straight mode, and a new “Rev1” energy limiter. Despite Monaco’s historic significance to Formula One, the street circuit is becoming increasingly unsuitable for modern cars.

This brings us to what many must be wondering: at what point is the juice no longer worth the squeeze in keeping the venue relevant, and is it time for Formula One to drop Monaco from the calendar entirely?

The case for keeping Monaco

Monaco has been a longstanding part of the F1 calendar for so long because it is so strongly tied to the sport’s brand. Monaco embodies royalty, glamour, and history, which are some of the traits F1 has been known for as well. Removing it from the calendar would be a step away from the sport’s unique identity.

Due to the level of difficulty involved when overtaking on race day, the true test for the drivers happens during qualifying, which is a spectacle in its own right that’s worth tuning in for. This unique difference from a typical race weekend formula adds some variety to the calendar, even if it doesn’t make for as exciting a race as those at other venues.

The case for dropping Monaco (or rotating it)

From a competitive standpoint, Monaco doesn’t meet the mark anymore. Because the final race order is mostly decided by the end of Q3, the race results on Sunday are often anticlimactic. Any changes in the race result from Q3 are usually from teams exploiting pit stops, like at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix. This robs the event of any intended displays of technical competitiveness.

This year’s race featured some exclusive rule changes not present at other tracks: no straight mode, and a special energy deployment limiter known as “Rev1.” If a circuit needs special rules to make it safe and viable, some would say that’s a red flag, and that it could be time to consider dropping it.

There are other, more competitive circuits waiting that would happily take Monaco’s place if given the chance. Kyalami, South Africa and Bangkok, Thailand, are two locations currently in talks to join in the future, as fans crave better racing venues in future seasons.

An alternative to dropping Monaco completely would be to put it on a rotating schedule, perhaps including it every other year. This would keep Monaco as a part of the sport for its historical value, while also making room for more racing-first tracks.

Should it stay, or should it go?

While this year’s race was far better than those in the past, the risks of the Monaco Grand Prix were on all full display. The tarmac pulling up, the tightness of the roads, and the difficulty for drivers to pass all impacted the outcome. This year was a one-off interesting race after numerous boring ones.

While ditching Monaco would be too financially risky for F1, rotating it would become a serious option as it would satisfy both fans and sponsors, making it more of a special event if it only happens every few years.

The real issue here isn’t whether Monaco deserves to be on the calendar. It’s really down to whether or not F1 chooses to prioritize racing over historical and financial significance.