Overview
- The FIA confirmed on Friday that Monaco will have no Active‑Aero straightline activation zones, meaning teams cannot flatten front or rear wings on any circuit straight and DRS will not be used.
- Officials said the street layout does not meet safety criteria including the minimum three‑second activation window and safe margins from grip‑limit braking and cornering, with the tunnel exit cited as a particular risk.
- Teams must therefore set up cars for maximum downforce and chassis stability for slow and medium corners, shifting priority away from straightline aerodynamic efficiency.
- Some squads, including McLaren, plan to use existing high‑downforce parts rather than spend cost‑cap resources on bespoke Monaco components, while others may still bring tailored solutions.
- Mercedes arrives as a frontrunner after a downforce‑focused upgrade in Montreal, but the fixed‑wing, no‑DRS format increases qualifying importance and gives teams with strong chassis performance, such as Ferrari, a clearer route to challenge.