With the advent of hybrid tech, tighter telemetry, and rising cultural relevance, the legacy of the Monaco Grand Prix continues to evolve. Below, car collector and motorsport analyst Lívia Gueissaz explains why the Monaco circuit is one that still commands the utmost respect.
Few races carry the mystique and engineering reverence of the Monaco Grand Prix, which is entering its 82nd edition this May. Since 1929, the Circuit de Monaco has stood apart, not merely for its glamour but also for its uncompromising demands on car setup, driver focus, and team strategy.
With an average speed of just 150 km/h, it is the slowest race on the Formula One calendar but also one of the most technically intricate.
Its 3.337 km layout, comprising 19 corners, 42 meters of elevation change, and the infamous tunnel section, forces cars and drivers into a near-constant state of correction and recalibration.
Amid the return of this iconic race, Lívia Gueissaz, Brazilian fashion analyst and renowned collector of high-performance cars, emerges as a voice in motorsport commentary, bringing technical understanding, cultural literacy, and a personal stake in the racing world. Her private collection includes Ferraris, six Porsches, Dodge Vipers, and Aston Martins — among them, a Ferrari Testarossa Monospecchio, famed for its single side mirror and revolutionary flat-12 engine.
“Monaco rewards timing, not aggression. It’s about control under pressure,” Gueissaz says. “We often celebrate horsepower, but here, success depends on balance, gear strategy, and the psychology of precision.” Her commentary focuses not on lifestyle aesthetics but the intimate relationship between machine and terrain—something only a few circuits like Monaco can demand so relentlessly.
Monaco offers almost no margin for error, unlike modern wide-lane circuits designed with overtaking in mind. Barriers line the track edge, making precision as critical as pace.
The Loews Hairpin, for example, is taken at 48 km/h — the slowest turn in F1 — requiring extreme steering angles and specialised suspension geometry.
To navigate these challenges, teams bring bespoke aerodynamic configurations: high-downforce setups, short wheelbases for cornering agility, and gear ratios optimised for acceleration rather than top-end speed. Brake temperature, tyre degradation, and energy recovery systems must be meticulously managed. Monaco remains a rare outlier where finesse outweighs brute force in a sport obsessed with lap time.
“To truly understand a machine, you must feel it,” says Gueissaz. “Motorsport isn’t just about speed — it’s about engineering, precision, and the silent stories told through every curve and calibration. The Monaco Grand Prix is more than a race; it’s a study of elegance and discipline. It may be the slowest, but technically, it’s one of the most demanding. That’s what draws me to it. It reminds us that power means nothing without control — and beauty, without purpose, doesn’t endure.”
Historically, Monaco has served as a proving ground for Formula One greats. Ayrton Senna, known for his razor-sharp control, won the race six times. Graham Hill, dubbed “Mr. Monaco,” won five times in the 1960s.
In 2024, Charles Leclerc became the first Monegasque to win since Louis Chiron in 1931, further igniting national pride in a circuit often described as “an exceptional location of glamour and prestige.”
But beyond pageantry, Monaco is also becoming a place of strategic innovation and quiet revolution. As F1 enters a new phase—balancing hybrid evolution, sustainability pressures, and AI-assisted analytics—the Monaco Grand Prix remains a litmus test for legacy and adaptability.
Energy recovery systems must perform efficiently at lower speeds, tyre strategies shift based on micro-adjustments, and digital telemetry now plays an increasing role in real-time decisions.
“Motorsport is often viewed as tradition-bound, but it’s also where change incubates,” Gueissaz explains. “Monaco may look timeless, but what happens in those garages—from gearbox calibration to data modelling—represents the leading edge of racing intelligence.”
Gueissaz is not alone in redefining what expertise in motorsport looks like. Her presence also reflects a broader cultural reckoning.
With Formula One viewership up over 35% since 2019, driven partly by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, the sport’s fan base is younger, more global, and increasingly female. Yet, women remain underrepresented in team leadership, engineering, and public commentary.
“As women, we’ve often been positioned as fans, not participants,” says Gueissaz. “But understanding this sport requires more than proximity to the paddock. It requires curiosity about torque, telemetry, racing lines, and pressure systems. That space belongs to us, too.”
For her, the Monaco Grand Prix is not just a race. It’s a ritual of refinement, where everything from gear ratios to media narratives is tested. “I was never drawn to the spectacle,” she says. “I was drawn to the geometry.”
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