'Still no contract for Monaco: Prince acts as mediator'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
The Prince of Monaco acts as a mediator between Automobile Club de Monaco and Formula 1. The two parties would not be able to agree on a date for 2023, so a mediator is needed.
Luxury position
The Monaco Grand Prix contract expires at the end of this season and so the race in the principality is not yet officially on the 2023 calendar. Although it is hard to imagine that there will be no Monaco GP, the two parties do not seem to be getting closer to each other.
The difference lies in a number of things. Monaco pays by far the least amount of money of all the organisers and is also allowed to direct the TV images itself. Monaco also arranges all sponsorship for the event, which sometimes goes against F1's sponsorship. For example, during the GP of Monaco we see signs of watch brand TAG Heuer, while Rolex is the official sponsor of F1.
Future of Monaco
Formula 1 wants Monaco to make concessions from 2023 onwards, but the organisation does not want to give in. Therefore, there is still no clarity about 2023 and that causes unrest. According to Nico Rosberg and Motorsport-total.com Rosberg even says that the Prince of Monaco is now interfering. He is trying to bring the two parties closer together.
Rosberg also argues that the Monaco Grand Prix should go ahead, but that it may have to make some concessions. A middle ground will have to be found, because actually both sides cannot do without each other.