Monaco GP Drops F1's Straight Mode Completely

Formula 1’s official Monaco Grand Prix circuit map shows no Straight Mode activation zones anywhere on the track, making Monte Carlo the first race of the 2026 season to run without the new active-aero system at all.

That stands out because every circuit used so far this year has featured at least one Straight Mode zone, and often more than one. As a recent example, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve had four such zones the previous week. Monaco, by contrast, has none, even though the start-finish section had been used for DRS in previous years.

Straight Mode is one of the headline features of F1’s 2026 technical rules. Under the new regulations, both the front and rear wings can move into a low-drag configuration, shedding almost all downforce for a temporary straight-line speed gain. The system forms part of the broader active-aerodynamics package introduced alongside the new power units, which split output evenly between battery power and the internal combustion engine.

What makes Monaco significant is not just that the system has been reduced, but that it has been removed completely. The reason has not been officially stated, but the likely explanation from the available information is safety. With the wings opened, the cars can become unstable, and Monaco’s main straight is not a true straight in the way other circuits offer a clean, simple activation area.

That concern fits Monaco’s history with overtaking aids. In previous seasons, DRS use at the street circuit was restricted to the pit straight, and the system was never allowed through the tunnel because of safety concerns. The decision to leave out Straight Mode entirely suggests the FIA was not comfortable applying the more aggressive 2026 aero setting anywhere around the lap.

F1 has not removed all passing assistance from the event. Monaco will still use overtake mode, with the detection point positioned before Rascasse. Activation begins on the exit of Rascasse and runs until before the final corner, Anthony Noghes.

The result is a notable carve-out in the rollout of F1’s newest overtaking technology. On a circuit where precision and confidence matter more than outright top speed, Monaco has effectively forced the championship to back away from its most aggressive 2026 aero tool and rely on a more limited aid instead.