Monaco Grand Prix schedule explained as F2 and F3 get early start

Although racing has taken place on the streets of Monte Carlo since 1929, the iconic venue comes with its own peculiar demands. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend is one of the few occasions where all three Formula categories run alongside the Porsche Supercup, creating a packed schedule across the narrow streets of the Principality. Combined with the tight, twisty nature of the circuit, this leaves very limited scope for the use of public roads outside of the event schedule.

To minimise disruption for both the sport and Monaco’s residents, organisers have brought forward the support series’ practice sessions to Thursday. This adjustment is primarily driven by logistics and space constraints, although similar scheduling changes have been implemented in the past for different operational reasons.

Another distinctive feature of Monaco for the junior categories is its qualifying format. Both Formula 2 and Formula 3 split their qualifying sessions into two groups, Group A and Group B, with the fastest combined times used to determine the final grid.

Formula 3 begins the weekend with the sole practice session on Thursday from 13:25 to 14:10. Qualifying takes place on Friday morning, with Group A running at 11:05 and Group B at 11:29.

Formula 2 also starts on Thursday, with its only practice session scheduled for 15:00 to 15:45. Its qualifying session follows Formula 1 FP1 on Friday, with Group A at 15:10 and Group B at 15:34, before F1 FP2 takes place.

The Formula 3 sprint race is held on Saturday at 10:45, running over 23 laps as the opening track session of the day before F1 FP3. Formula 2’s sprint race follows at 14:15, covering 30 laps between F1 FP3 and qualifying.

On Sunday, the Formula 3 feature race begins at 07:45 over 27 laps, opening the day’s action. The Formula 2 feature race follows at 09:25, running over 42 laps. Alongside F1, F2 and F3, the weekend also features the Porsche Supercup, with qualifying on Friday at 18:45 and the race on Sunday at 11:45.

The Monaco Grand Prix, which marks the start of the European leg of the 2026 Formula 1 season, runs from Friday 5 June to Sunday 7 June. Unlike sprint weekends such as Miami or Canada, Monaco features three practice sessions.

Action begins on Friday 5 June with Free Practice 1 from 13:30 to 14:30 local time (12:30–13:30 BST), followed by Free Practice 2 from 17:00 to 18:00 local time (16:00–17:00 BST).

Saturday 6 June opens with Free Practice 3 from 12:30 to 13:30 local time (11:30–12:30 BST), before qualifying takes place in the afternoon from 16:00 to 17:00 local time (15:00–16:00 BST).

The weekend culminates on Sunday with the Monaco Grand Prix itself, scheduled from 15:00 to 17:00 local time (14:00–16:00 BST).