Getting faster and faster, can the McLarens be the queens of Monaco ?

The Monaco Grand Prix, eighth round of the world championship on Sunday, will be an opportunity for the McLarens to confirm that they are becoming Red Bull's number 1 rivals.

The start of the season could not have been more in line with expectations in Formula 1. After seven Grands Prix, Max Verstappen, winner & five times, sits at the top of the world championship and barring cataclysm will win a fourth consecutive world title in a few months. His team, Red Bull, remains dominant even if Sergio Perez still suffers from competition with his Dutch teammate. Behind the Austrian firm, Ferrari, boosted by the success of Carlos Sainz & Melbourne, are those who have harvested the most points (212) and they can boast of a certain regularity. However, it is another team that has stood out in recent races to the point of challenging the supremacy of Red Bull on the track.

It is obviously not the Mercedes, clearly behind, but another British team: McLaren. The orange single-seaters, after a somewhat timid first races, moved on to the top spot. the second from China. Second è Shanghai, Lando Norris landed in Shanghai his first Grand Prix victory è Miami before confirming last Sunday by once again taking second place behind Verstappen on the Imola circuit. The young British driver even passed the competition. very close to an improbable double after a crazy comeback at the end of the race which finally saw him crash into the mirrors (7 tenths of a second!) of the triple world champion.

Less successful until now, Oscar Piastri, who occupies the second seat in the Woking stable, has his side éequalé in Emilia-Romagna its best result of the year – a fourth place – also obtained in Saudi Arabia and Australia. Fast and well balanced, can the two MCL38s become Red Bull's main threat? Third in the constructors' championship, 58 points behind Ferrari, McLaren is gaining momentum and giving rise to the hope of rekindling some of the suspense that is sorely lacking in the series. Formula 1 for two years.

The continuation with the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend will be an opportunity to confirm this new dynamic even if, as we know, the circuit urban plot in the Principality is not always the most revealing as the racing adventures can be numerous. But McLaren has no shortage of assets to attempt a resounding coup in the streets of Monaco. 

At what time to watch the Monaco Grand Prix ?

The times for the Monaco Grand Prix will be the same as for that of Imola which, last week, was the first of the season contested. on the European continent. The eighth round of the world championship will therefore begin on Friday early in the afternoon with the first of three weeks. ances of free practice, the qualifications and the Grand Prix being scheduled in the middle of the afternoon, respectively &agrav; 4 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Free Trials 1 à 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 24 (duration: 1 hour)
• Free Trials 2 à 5 p.m. Friday May 24 (duration: 1 hour)
• Free Trials 3 à 12:30 p.m. Saturday May 25 (duration: 1 hour)
• Qualifications à 4 p.m. Saturday May 25 (duration: 1 hour)
• Grand Prix à 3 p.m. Sunday May 26 (duration: 2 hours maximum)

On which TV channel to watch the Monaco Grand Prix?

The Monaco Grand Prix will be broadcast exclusively on the channels of the Canal group, holder of the rights to the Formula 1 world championship. The three free practice sessions, Friday and Saturday, will be broadcast on Canal+ Sport while qualifying and the Grand Prix will be broadcast on the Premium channel.

• Friday: Free 1 à 1:15 p.m. + Free 2   à 4:45 p.m. on Canal+ Sport
• Saturday: Free 3 à 12:15 p.m. on Canal+ Sport + Qualifications & 3:40 p.m. on Canal+
• Sunday: "La Grille  à 1:55 p.m. on Canal+ Sport 360 + Grand Prix & 3 p.m. on Canal+

Drivers' World Championship Ranking (after 7  Grand Prix)

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 161 points
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 113 points
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 107 points
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 101 points
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 93 points
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 53 points
7. George Russell (Mercedes) 44 points
8. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 35 points
9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 33 points
10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) 15 points
11. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 11 points
12. Oliver Bearman (Ferrari) 6 points
12. Niko Hülkenberg (Haas) 6 points
14. Daniel Ricciardo (Racing Bulls) 5 points
15. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) 1 point
15. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)1 point

What are the dates of the F1 Grands Prix in 2024?

The 2024 Formula 1 season will include 24 Grands Prix. &agrav; the end of February, Bahreïn, and will end at the beginning of December until September Abu Dhabi. Here is the complete calendar for F1 2024 with times given in French time:

1. Bahrain GP (Sakhir): Saturday March 2 (Winner: Verstappen)
2. Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah): Saturday March 9 (Winner: Verstappen)
3. Australian GP (Melbourne): Sunday March 24 (Winner: Sainz)
4. Japanese GP(Suzuka): Sunday April 7 (Winner: Verstappen)
5. Chinese GP (Shanghai): Sunday April 21 (Winner: Verstappen)
6. Miami GP (Miami): Sunday May 5 (Winner: Norris)
7. Emilia-Romagna GP (Imola): Sunday May 19 (Winner: Verstappen)
8. Monaco GP: Sunday May 26   3 p.m.
9. Canadian GP(Montreal):Sunday June 9 8 p.m.
10. Spanish GP (Barcelona): Sunday June 23 3 p.m.
11. Austrian GP (Spielberg): Sunday June 30 3 p.m.
12. British GP (Silverstone): Sunday July 7th 4 p.m.
13. Hungarian GP (Budapest): Sunday July 21st 3 p.m.
14. Belgian GP (Spa-Francorchamps) : Sunday July 28 &at 3 p.m.
15. Dutch GP (Zandvoort): Sunday 25 Augustût &at 3 p.m.
16. Italian GP (Monza): Sunday September 1st &at 3 p.m.
17. Azerbaijani GP (Baku): Sunday September 15th 1 p.m.
18. Singapore GP (Marina Bay): Sunday September 22 à 2 p.m.
19. US GP (Austin): Sunday 20 October à 9 p.m.
20. Mexican GP (Mexico) : Sunday October 27 à 8 p.m.
21. Brazilian GP (Interlagos): Sunday November 3rd 7 p.m.
22. Las Vegas GP (Las Vegas) : Sunday, November 24 à 6h
23. Qatar GP (Losail): Sunday October 1st 3 p.m.
24. Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina): Sunday December 8 2 p.m.