--- description: "Chicane in F1 explained: why circuits use them, how they create overtaking opportunities, and the most famous chicanes from Monaco, Monza and Spa." title: "Chicane in F1: definition, purpose and famous examples" image: https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/E2I5572-330x220.jpg --- [Skip to main content](#content) ![Change language](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/themes/f1fansite/images/flags-svg/gb.svg?v=2) [![F1-Fansite.com](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/themes/f1fansite/images/logo-mob.png)](https://www.f1-fansite.com/) ![](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-spa-header.jpg) [![Try F1 on Apple TV for 7 days](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/F1-Launch_Refresh2_Static_Affiliate_728x90_US-EN.jpg)](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-on-apple-tv/) [![F1-Fansite.com](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/themes/f1fansite/images/logo.png)](https://www.f1-fansite.com/) [Sign in](https://www.f1-fansite.com/login/) - [Home](https://www.f1-fansite.com/) - [F1 News](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-news/) - [F1 2026](https://www.f1-fansite.com/2026-formula-1-season/) - [F1 2027](https://www.f1-fansite.com/2027-formula-1-season/) - [All Time](https://www.f1-fansite.com/all-time-f1-archive/) - [F1 Stats](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-statistics/) - [Photos](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-wallpapers/) - [F1 Fans](https://www.f1-fansite.com/fans/) - [F1 Quiz](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-quizzes/) - [F1 Tickets](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-tickets/) - [F1 Merchandise](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-merchandise/) - Add to home screen [Sign in](https://www.f1-fansite.com/login/) [Next session![Sepang International Circuit](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/themes/f1fansite/images/flags-svg/my.svg?v=2) MY Bahrain Grand Prix · FP100d 00h 00m 00s](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-calendar/bahrain-grand-prix/) [Next session![Sepang International Circuit](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/themes/f1fansite/images/flags-svg/my.svg?v=2) MY Bahrain Grand Prix · FP100d 00h 00m 00s](https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-calendar/bahrain-grand-prix/) # Chicane [![Formula 1 car negotiating a chicane sequence](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/E2I5572-330x220.jpg)](https://www.f1-fansite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/E2I5572.jpg) A chicane forces cars to slow, change direction, and change direction again, all in a few metres. **A chicane is a tight sequence of turns, usually two or three in quick succession, designed to slow cars down.** Circuit designers insert them at the ends of long straights to keep top speeds within safe limits, or in the middle of fast sections to break up rhythm. The best chicanes are technical showcases in their own right. The worst are speed-limit walls with a racing line drawn through them. ## What is a chicane in Formula 1? A chicane is a series of quick, alternating turns, most often a left-right-left or right-left-right sequence taken in third or fourth gear on a Formula 1 car. Chicanes are usually placed to interrupt a straight or a fast corner and to force the driver to lift, brake, or change direction sharply. They demand precise timing, sharp kerb use and a car that changes direction quickly. ## Why circuits use chicanes Chicanes serve three main purposes: - **Safety:** they cap the top speed on a straight where a full lift is not otherwise natural, keeping impact energies at safe corners lower; - **Overtaking:** a well-placed chicane at the end of a long straight creates a natural braking-zone passing opportunity; - **Rhythm:** a mid-lap chicane changes the character of a circuit, mixing high-speed sections with tighter technical challenges. ## Famous F1 chicanes Some chicanes have become defining features of their circuits: - **Nouvelle Chicane, Monaco:** a short braking snap after the tunnel, one of the most famous overtaking spots in the sport; - **Rettifilo, Roggia and Ascari, Monza:** three chicanes that punctuate the fastest circuit on the calendar; - **Bus Stop, Spa-Francorchamps:** the final complex before the pit straight, notorious for its slippery kerbs and repeated redesigns; - **Sainte-Devote braking zone at Monaco:** not a chicane in the strict sense but often used tactically as one. ## Where the word came from The word chicane is French, derived from the verb *chicaner*, which loosely means to quibble or to hinder. Originally it described the zig-zag traffic diversions placed at customs posts and city gates to force horses and wagons to slow down. Motor racing adopted the term in the 1930s, and it has been part of the F1 vocabulary ever since. ## Frequently asked questions about chicanes ### What is a chicane in F1? A chicane is a sequence of tight alternating turns, usually two or three in quick succession, designed to slow cars down. They are typically taken in third or fourth gear on an F1 car. ### Why do circuits have chicanes? Chicanes cap top speeds where a full lift is not natural, create overtaking opportunities at the end of long straights, and add rhythm and technical challenge to a circuit. ### Which are the most famous chicanes in Formula 1? The Nouvelle Chicane at Monaco, the Rettifilo, Roggia and Ascari chicanes at Monza, and the Bus Stop at Spa-Francorchamps are among the most famous chicanes in the sport. ### Where does the word chicane come from? The word is French, from the verb chicaner meaning to quibble or hinder. It originally described the zig-zag diversions used at customs posts to force horses and wagons to slow down. ### Are chicanes only for safety? No. Safety is one reason circuits use them, but well-placed chicanes also create overtaking opportunities and add character to a lap. Last updated: 2 Jul 2026, 00:30 ### Join our FREE weekly F1 Newsletter Enter your email address & confirm your subscription You've already signed up, Thanks! 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