Martin Brundle said in commentary this weekend that Formula One has in no way outgrown Monaco - and he is absolutely right.
Sunday’s race around the streets of Monte Carlo was as thrilling as it gets by the principality’s admittedly lowly standards, even if Max Verstappen won at his usual canter.
But what did we learn from Formula One’s 'Crown Jewel' weekend? Let’s take a look.
Sergio Perez not up to scratch…
Even at this early stage of the season, Sergio Perez’s slim at best chances of winning the driver’s championship appear to have vanished.
The Mexican driver had a disastrous weekend at a circuit where he has thrived in years past. He followed up his clumsy crash in qualifying on Saturday with a miserable showing in the changeable conditions on Sunday.
Being Max Verstappen’s teammate is certainly no easy task, but Checo appears well off the pace at the moment. Considering he is the only real challenger to the Dutchman’s quest for a third straight championship, his performances in both Miami and Monaco have been disappointing.
Now nearly 40 points behind his teammate, Perez needs a miracle just to stay in contention.
…and neither is Lance Stroll
Aston Martin, of course, will be delighted with their team’s showing through the first part of the season, but really it should be a whole lot better.
At age 41, Fernando Alonso is responsible for 93 of Aston Martin’s 120 points so far in 2023, with his worst placing still an impressive fourth in Azerbaijan four weeks ago.
Stroll’s performance in Monaco was near embarrassing, with the Canadian driver seemingly colliding with the walls and other drivers at every opportunity and not even remotely showing the pace that the car underneath him undoubtedly has.
Stroll’s seat with the Silverstone outfit, as we all know, is not under threat, but at some point it surely has to be deemed that Stroll’s performances are detrimental to the team.
Aston Martin have a second-place finish in the team’s standings well within their grasp this season but further poor races from the Canadian could jeopardise that.
Where do Ferrari go now?
Ferrari had a largely forgettable afternoon on the streets of Monaco on Sunday that rather compounds where the team currently stands.
Carlos Sainz ruined his day having shunted Alpine’s Esteban Ocon at the Nouvelle Chicane and Monte Carlo’s very own Charles Leclerc never recovered from his three-place grid drop for impeding Lando Norris during qualifying.
The speed over one lap appears to be there – Leclerc was mightily close to another home pole position. But the race pace seems to fall away and the Scuderia clearly have the fourth-best Sunday package behind Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes.
All of this means that what looked like a season of promise in pre-season testing is quickly turning into another lost season for the team from Maranello. Changes are needed – and quickly.
A rebirth for F1’s ‘Crown Jewel’
Never before has Monaco’s place on the Formula One calendar been under so much scrutiny, but the race well and truly delivered this weekend.
Sure, a sudden downpour midway through the race always helps to ramp up the excitement, but there was plenty going on before the rain struck.
The cars seemed to be able to follow one another much closer than this time last year which was a pleasant, if unexpected, surprise and this enabled far more overtakes than we have seen in Monaco Grand Prix’s past.
No one will be more relieved than the race organisers and promoters who, for once, will be able to bat away the ‘Monaco is boring’ narrative.
Formula One is back this weekend in Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix from the Circuit de Catalunya.