The Monaco Grand Prix is a highlight of the F1 2021 calendar and drivers will be more determined than ever to impress after the race was scrapped from the 2020 schedule.
Last year’s race was a sporting casualty of the COVID-19 outbreak, but fans will be delighted to see the glitz and glam return for this week of high-octane drama through the streets of Monte Carlo.
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton won here last time out in 2019, while Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel – at Red Bull and Ferrari respectively at the time – triumphed in the previous two years.
Hamilton is on the verge of breaking out at the top of the F1 driver standings once again after just a handful of races. The British star leads Max Verstappen by 14 points and will fancy his chances recording another victory here.
Red Bull need Verstappen to provide an even more stern challenge to Hamilton in the coming weeks. He is closer to the Mercedes man in 2021, but to stand a chance of winning the championship, the Dutch superstar must begin to win races consistently, starting here.
McLaren have enjoyed a tremendous start to the campaign with Lando Norris particularly impressive. He sits fourth in the overall standings, close behind Valtteri Bottas.
RadioTimes.com brings you a complete guide to the Monaco Grand Prix 2021 including dates, times and TV details, as well as exclusive analysis from Sky Sports F1 commentator Crofty ahead of every race.
When is the Monaco Grand Prix?
The Monaco Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 23rd May 2021. Check out our full F1 2021 calendar for the list of dates and upcoming races.
What time does the Monaco Grand Prix start in the UK?
The race begins at 2pm on Sunday 23rd May 2021.
We’ve included the full schedule for the rest of the weekend, including practice and qualifying times below.
Monaco is the crown jewel of motor racing and qualifying is all-important on this track where overtaking is no easy feat.
Monaco Grand Prix schedule
Thursday 20th May (from 10am on Sky Sports F1)
Practice 1 – 10:30am
Practice 2 – 2pm
Friday 21st May
Break
Saturday 22nd May (from 10:45am on Sky Sports F1)
Practice 3 – 11am
Saturday 22nd May (from 1pm on Sky Sports F1)
Qualifying – 2pm
Sunday 23rd May (from 12:30pm on Sky Sports F1)
Race – 2pm
How to watch Monaco Grand Prix on TV
The Monaco Grand Prix will air live on Sky Sports F1.
All races will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event throughout the season.
Sky customers can add individual channels for just £18 per month or add the complete sports package to their deal for just £25 per month.
How to live stream the Monaco Grand Prix online
Existing Sky Sports customers can live stream the race via the Sky Go app on a variety of devices.
You can watch the Grand Prix with a NOW Day Membership for £9.99 or a Monthly Membership for £33.99, all without signing up to a contract.
NOW can be streamed through a computer or apps found on most smart TVs, phones and consoles. NOW is also available via BT Sport.
Monaco Grand Prix preview
With Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft
Can Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas catch their teammates?
DC: They’ve both played very much a supporting role. Neither of them have shown the standards that either Lewis or Max has. To be honest, both of their respective teams will be looking for more from them for this weekend. I think this weekend is very much a must-win for Red Bull. They don’t want to let Mercedes start to eek away with it. It’s three to one in terms of victories for Lewis over Max now.
Mercedes needs Valtteri Bottas to be racing at the sharper end, he can’t afford starts like he did in Spain and got overtaken, Sergio probably needs to improve his qualifying a little bit as well, so that he’s right up there giving Red Bull the support they need for Max. It’s a team sport Formula 1, you can’t do it all on your own. Both Perez and Valtteri are fine drivers, they’re just not in the league of Lewis or Max at the moment. It’s in their own hands to have a fine weekend weekend in Monaco.
Rays of light at the back of the grid
DC: I think George Russell is showing excellent form on a Saturday at the moment and getting that car into Q2 on a regular basis. He’s been a few hundredths off Q3, which is an incredible job, really, in the Williams car, which is not really a Q3 car. I think George is the ray of light in those backmarkers but I’m seeing signs once again of Mick Schumacher’s improvement, and I think Mick is just slowly, quietly, confidently going about his business and showing his proper potential for the future.
I think Mick Schumacher is definitely one to keep an eye on and around Monaco and if he can – I was actually talking to George yesterday at the airport – get 13th, 14th on the grid then, you know, it’s very difficult to overtake around here and as long as you keep it clean you’ve given yourself a fighting chance potentially of points. That’s the joy of Monaco, it’s tremendously difficult to overtake but it does reward the best drivers.
Nikita Mazepin will have raced here before but he has seemed to have trouble keeping out the gravel. Well, there’s no gravel traps in Monaco. He’s more likely to find himself in someone’s apartment than a gravel trap if he carries on the way he is, and I don’t say that nastily in any way, shape or form.
The track
DC: I love Monaco. Every time I come here I wonder how Formula 1 cars race around these streets. It barely seems wide enough for the scooters that seem to inhabit the roads of Monaco, let alone a Formula 1 car. To see these drivers excelling in the way they do around such a circuit like this it’s absolutely awe-inspiring, it really is. It won’t have the most overtakes of the season, it might be a bit pedestrian, but for nearly 80 laps, you are centimetres from disaster, skirting around the rainbow of success every few metres.
It absolutely focuses the mind whether you’re driving or whether you’re watching. There will be a few fans here which will be lovely to see, the boats are in the harbour which is gorgeous to see, the sun is shining and we’re all set for Monaco. It’s still an absolute jewel in the crown of this sport. You know, it’s ridiculous idea to go racing here, but I’m glad that somebody did once upon a time.
For the full breakdown of F1 races coming up, check out our F1 2021 calendar guide.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub.
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