Proof: Monaco GP is getting WORSE

The 2018 Monaco Grand Prix has been pilloried as "the most boring race ever", something that would send viewers to sleep - and that's just the drivers! On-track overtakes were certainly hard to come by in Sunday's race, with the top six from qualifying passing the chequered flag in the same order.

Max Verstappen's crash in FP3 necessitated his start from the pit-lane, but fans might be grateful for it as the Dutchman was the only driver to pull off a passing manoeuvre in the race, discounting changes of position on the first lap.

Carlos Sainz Jr did pass Nico Hulkenberg on-track, although the move was ordered by Renault.

We will count it regardless, taking the total overtakes in the 2018 race to a meagre four.

It is greater than the ONE we saw a year ago, and Daniil Kvyat's pass on Sergio Perez wasn't even broadcast.

Calls have risen for the Circuit de Monaco to be either modified or dropped from the F1 calendar altogether.

But is the problem as bad as has been made out? We looked back through the past decade of Monaco Grands Prix, using some data from Clip The Apex's overtaking database, to find out.

As we can see, overtakes are certainly on a downward trend, with F1's refreshed batch of aerodynamic regulations in 2017 only exacerbating the problem.

Believe it or not, things have been worse. The 2003 race was one of a few F1 events in history to feature no overtakes.

It remains to be seen if the front-wing tweaks proposed for 2019, and supposedly designed to improve overtaking, helps the matter.

Regardless, the jewel in the crown will surely not be removed. Disgruntled fans and drivers will likely have to suck it up for the time being...