Monaco GP is the first 2026 race without Straight Mode

Monaco breaks the mould on straight mode

The Monaco Grand Prix will make a small but notable piece of history in the 2026 Formula 1 season: it will be the first race on the calendar to feature no straight mode activation zones.

Understanding 2026's active aerodynamics

For the 2026 season, F1 cars were equipped with a new active aerodynamics system, where both the front and rear wings open automatically to reduce drag. The system was designed in part to compensate for the characteristics of the new power units, which split their output equally — 50:50 — between the electrical battery and the internal combustion engine.

Crucially, this is not a direct replacement for DRS. The old drag reduction system allowed a chasing car to open its rear wing when running within one second of a rival, offering a targeted overtaking boost. The new architecture works differently, operating as a broader performance tool rather than a reactive, proximity-based aid.

At Monaco, straight mode will not be used at all — a decision that reflects the nature of the street circuit, where sustained high-speed sections are virtually non-existent. In this, Monaco diverges from its own DRS history: previously, the pit straight was the one section where DRS was deployed, while the tunnel was always excluded on safety grounds.

Overtake mode still in play

While straight mode is absent, overtake mode remains available for the Monaco race. The detection point is positioned before the iconic Rascasse corner, with activation permitted on the exit and maintained through to just before the final corner, Anthony Noghes.

It will be a weekend where every performance variable counts in Monte Carlo — including, as McLaren are set to demonstrate, a revised front wing package that the team plans to reintroduce after its complicated debut in Canada.

On a circuit where track position is everything and overtaking opportunities are scarce, the precise deployment of overtake mode around Rascasse and Anthony Noghes could prove to be one of the key marginal battlegrounds of the race.