Bearman: Monaco Layout Means No More 'Silly Lift-and-Coasting'

Oliver Bearman says the Monaco Grand Prix will finally let drivers push to the limit without the energy-saving compromises that have frustrated the grid under the 2026 regulations. Because Monte Carlo lacks long straights and is packed with heavy braking zones, the usual battery management and lift-and-coast tactics are unnecessary, giving drivers a rare chance to attack the circuit naturally.

Why it matters:

The 2026 rules have forced drivers to harvest energy aggressively on conventional tracks, often lifting off early and coasting through corners to preserve battery life for the straights. Monaco changes the equation. With no straight-line mode zones and battery tapering beginning at roughly 200 km/h instead of the usual 290 km/h, the Principality rewards instinctive driving over energy conservation.

The details:

• Speaking to GPblog, Bearman said Monaco will feel "a bit more like last year," allowing drivers to "use the gears that we want" and skip the "silly lift-and-coast" demanded elsewhere.
• The energy recovery threshold drops sharply for the street circuit, with electrical assistance tapering from approximately 200 km/h onward.
• The optimism comes with a caveat. Bearman finished P10 in Canada but dismissed the result as largely incident-assisted rather than earned on merit.
• He pointed to persistent "through corner balance limitation" and a car that feels risky to commit on corner entries, a major concern when the walls are centimeters away.

What's next:

Bearman is counting on Monaco's flatter surface to tame the handling issues that hurt him in bumpy Montreal. With qualifying effectively deciding the race on the tight streets, finding confidence against the barriers will be critical if he wants to convert Saturday speed into a meaningful result.