(01)Practical
The Monaco Grand Prix Weekend Schedule, Day by Day
For decades, Monaco followed a calendar all of its own within the Formula 1 season. Here's how a race weekend unfolds today, and why it used to be different from every other Grand Prix.
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An exception that lasted over seventy years
From the founding of the world championship in 1950 until 2022, Monaco was the only race on the calendar that didn't run on Friday: free practice was held on Thursday instead, echoing Monaco's Ascension Day public holiday, and roads reopened on Friday so local businesses could restock. Since 2022, Formula 1 has done away with that exception, and Monaco now follows the standard Friday-Saturday-Sunday format used at every other race.
Friday, June 4: the first two practice sessions
Thursday remains dedicated to paddock build and the first activity around town, with no on-track running. Friday opens proceedings with first practice (FP1), scheduled from 1:30pm to 2:30pm, followed by second practice (FP2) from 5:00pm to 6:00pm, Monaco local time (CEST).
Saturday, June 5: final practice and qualifying
Third practice (FP3) runs from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, followed by qualifying at 3:00pm, which sets the starting grid for the following day — a particularly decisive session at Monaco, where overtaking on race day remains rare on such a narrow track.
Sunday, June 6: race day
The drivers' parade typically takes place in the early afternoon, followed by the formation lap at 2:55pm and a race start set for 3:00pm. The official race distance is 78 laps, around 260 km, covered in just under two hours depending on the pace of the race.
A calendar still evolving
Another recent change: since 2026, the Monaco Grand Prix has been held in June rather than its historic late-May date, a shift that lets Formula 1 group its European races into a tighter window and cut down on freight movements between events.
The times shown reflect the schedule communicated ahead of the 2027 edition and are provided for general guidance; the final calendar for each edition, with exact times, is published by the FIA and Formula 1 ahead of race weekend.