Ahead of the F3 Monaco GP, PREMA Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu spoke to Pit Debrief and other media outlets about the unique thrill of racing through the streets of Monaco. For drivers, racing through the principality presents a set of challenges unlike any other circuit. With 19 corners, these young talents push the limits at high speeds, skimming the walls with the finest of margins—where even the slightest mistake could jeopardise their entire weekend.
Ugochukwu and PREMA have had a tough start to their 2025 campaign—having scored points on only two occasions. With only 4 points to his name, the McLaren junior would hope to score some better results soon. Unlike usual race weekends, practice sessions in Monaco takes place on Thursdays for F3. As on-track action begins tomorrow, the American driver spoke on the challenges and pressures imposed by the iconic street circuit.
Navigating a qualifying lap around Monaco
The 18 year-old is no stranger to navigating his way through a street circuit. In 2024, Ugochukwu won the inaugural Formula Regional event at the Macau Grand Prix—a street track notoriously known for its tough and risk-taking nature. The American is one of seventeen rookies on the F3 grid this year who will race around the streets of Monaco for the first time.
When asked by Pit Debrief how their one-lap learnings from previous rounds would carry into this weekend, Ugochukwu acknowledged the challenges of tackling a street circuit like Monaco. Where even the smallest mistakes can be costly, the PREMA driver emphasised on the importance of learning through track-time in practice and delivering a strong qualifying performance to set up the weekend.
“Yeah, obviously, your Monaco street track is going to be tricky. You know, there’s no room for mistakes, for sure. But I think what makes it so great, to be honest, I think we’re just going to be pushing as hard as we can.”
“Yeah, learning through practise and then putting it all out there in qualifying. Because as we know, it’s the main part of the weekend to put yourself in a good position for the races.”
Pressures of racing at a historic race with rich history
Racing at a prestigious event like the Monaco GP, Ugochukwu echoed the approach of his fellow driver, Rodin’s Roman Bilinski, on how they tackle a weekend of this magnitude.
“Yeah, I mean, I think a little bit like Roman [Bilinski] said, at the end, it’s just another round of the championship.”
While their approach to Monaco is ultimately just another round in the championship, the American driver added that its historic prestige adds another layer of significance. He noted that delivering a strong result in Monaco feels especially rewarding.
“But for sure, being Monaco, such a historic race, I think it just adds that little bit more. Yeah, it’s just a bit more rewarding, let’s say, if you manage to pull it off and have a good result.”
At a place which holds such rich racing history, any driver dreams about being on the podium or winning a Monaco GP.
What will be the biggest challenges of the weekend?
Monaco is notoriously difficult for overtaking, making qualifying all the more crucial. The American driver emphasised the importance of building confidence with each lap. Noting that any mistakes during practice could potentially be a big setback, Ugochukwu explained that gradually pushing the limit will be key heading into qualifying.
“Yeah, I think, obviously, trying to get to grips with the track. Of course, being a street track, you kind of need to know what the limit is. Obviously, any mistakes in practice will put you a little bit on the back foot.”
“So I think every lap will just be pushing more and more. Yeah, just to get us in a good place, really, for Quali [qualifying].”
Highlighting the significance of track evolution typical of street circuits, the McLaren junior re-emphasised the importance of qualifying, which could make or break the outcome of their weekend.
“Always like really big track evolution on the street circuit. So I think just being in a good place for the end of Qualy [qualifying], that’s going to be really important.”
Drawing inspiration from Max Verstappen’s 2023 pole lap
When asked if any past Monaco performance they draw inspiration from, Ugochukwu drew to reigning World Champion Max Verstappen’s 2023 Monaco GP pole lap. In case you missed it, during the qualifying session, Verstappen trailed in the first two sectors but delivered a storming final sector to edge ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso by less than a tenth. Truly, a qualifying lap that left everyone holding their breath.
“I think, in general, any quali [qualifying] lap F1 pole around Monaco is usually quite good. Always quite close to the wall and quite close to the limit. For me, what comes to mind is 2023, [Max] Verstappen.”
“I think it was really cool just to see how close to the limit you can get and really what makes a little difference and gets you more lap time.”
