Why F1 Teams Unleash New Suspension and Wing Designs for Monaco GP

The Monaco Grand Prix always brings something different to Formula 1. In 2025, most F1 teams arrived in Monaco with special suspension and wing updates designed just for this event.

Teams respond to the challenge of Monaco’s tight corners and narrow streets by producing unique components that won’t be used at other tracks. The cars experience low speeds throughout a lap, making Monaco the slowest circuit on the calendar.

To deal with the hairpins and tiny margins, teams adjust their front suspension layouts. These changes include reworked trackrod and wishbone fairings so drivers can use maximum steering lock without the wheels rubbing against any suspension parts.

It’s a move seen year after year to help cars get around the famous slow corners like the Grand Hotel Hairpin. Brake ducts are another area that gets attention for Monaco.

Because the wishbones and trackrods are close to the wheels, brake ducts are reshaped to avoid any problems with the extra steering movement. These ducts may also be made bigger for this race, because the slow speeds in Monaco mean there isn’t as much airflow to cool the brakes as there would be at tracks like Silverstone or Monza.

Bigger intakes allow enough air to keep brakes within safe temperatures, which is vital to prevent overheating during the long, tough race. Aerodynamics play a major role at Monaco.

Teams bring their highest-downforce wings and test new setups. McLaren, for example, registered two different beam wing designs and a special “medium-high downforce” rear wing, hoping to find the best performance on the twisty circuit.

Unlike most other races, teams at Monaco are not worried about the extra drag from big rear wings, since straight-line speed isn’t as important here. Getting more grip through slow corners matters most.

Aston Martin looked at its front wing flap, providing themselves more settings in case they needed extra front grip. The team could bolt on a new, highly loaded flap to give drivers better response if they felt the car was not turning as sharply as they needed.

Changes like this only appear at street tracks with low speeds and tight turns. Some teams, including Ferrari and Williams, used their high-downforce rear wings from last season. Ferrari performed particularly well with these setups in Monaco.

These circuit-specific pieces work well at Monaco’s tricky layout, and teams save on the development budget by reusing proven designs. At tracks like Hungary or Singapore, these large wings might be seen again, although higher speeds at those venues let teams rely more on the car’s floor for downforce.

Teams focus intensely on Monaco because it offers few overtaking opportunities, making qualifying and setup extremely important. With these special modifications—unique suspension fairings, brake ducts, and oversized wings—engineers try to give their drivers every possible advantage. Qualifying and race strategy play a crucial role given the circuit’s characteristics.

Once Monaco is over, most of these parts go back into storage, only returning if another tight, slow street circuit demands them. Monaco shows how F1 teams adapt their technology to meet rare challenges.

The circuit pushes designers to make detailed changes that maximize cornering grip and control. For drivers, these updates are the difference between scraping the walls and dancing through the streets of Monte Carlo.

The race may be short on speed, but it is long on technical detail and strategy, with each team giving its all for a historic win in Monaco. For many, the Monaco GP remains a clean weekend highlighting precision and control over sheer speed.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.