Monaco will host Charles Leclerc’s seventh personal Grand Prix appearance in the Formula One World Championship this Sunday, with his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz by his side on the starting grid. The Monte Carlo street circuit, famed for its tight corners and glamorous backdrop, will also feature the sport’s big names: Sergio Pérez of Red Bull sits third in the standings, while reigning champion Max Verstappen, Leclerc’s contemporary, leads the championship. The race on the famed Principality track promises a dramatic afternoon as teams push the limits on one of the shortest and most technically demanding courses on the calendar.
Leclerc, now 24, carried momentum into Montmeló last weekend but finished second to Verstappen, who clinched the Spanish Grand Prix and extended his advantage in the early season standings. The calendar notes 3,337 meters of the narrow Monte Carlo layout, and Leclerc registered a competitive lap just over a minute and 11 seconds, a fraction behind Sainz. An early red flag curtailed racing action after incidents involving Pérez and fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso, though both drivers escaped any serious consequences. Ferrari took advantage of the turbulence to edge Red Bull out of the lead in a moment of strategic reshuffling on track.
Waiting for weather updates, teams prepared for potential rain, a factor that often levels the playing field around the Cap d’Ail and harbor walls. Red Bull, having seen both of its drivers sit high in the standings in the early part of the season, retained a strong counter-attack strategy as the weekend progressed. The front row appearance would mark just the second time this year that Red Bull and Ferrari found themselves in prime positions together, following an earlier showing in Miami. Monaco’s narrow streets heighten the challenge: overtaking is notoriously difficult, placing emphasis on qualifying performance and flawless setup.
Leclerc had led most practice and qualifying sessions apart from a solitary session where another team topped the times. Pérez, continuing to be a consistent performer, entered the weekend among the frontrunners but faced a setback during the final moments of a practice run when a mistake forced him to abandon a late attempt. Nonetheless, the session had already cemented a strong sense of pace within Red Bull while Ferrari looked to bounce back with renewed aggression on home soil for Leclerc.
Where to watch Formula 1 races?
The 2022 season in Spain could be watched live on television through Movistar+ and DAZN. Movistar+ provides full coverage on its dedicated F1 channel, and the broadcasting platform is expanding its offering with additional races as part of a broader deal that also covers MotoGP. The arrangement reflects ongoing efforts to deliver comprehensive event access across major markets.
In Latin America, audiences in Argentina, Colombia and Chile can follow the action through regional broadcasters, with Fox Sports serving as a primary outlet. In Mexico, Televisa’s channel 9 appraises the race coverage. In the United States, Formula 1 broadcasting reaches fans through ESPN, delivering nationwide coverage with extensive pre-race and post-race analysis.
Monaco GP race schedule
Sunday
3:00 PM local time is the start for the race, a moment that typically keeps fans glued to the screens as lights go out and the cars surge into Casino Square and the Nouvelle Chicane.