Formula One chiefs plan changes to spice up Monaco Grand Prix

LONDON – Formula One’s governing body FIA announced plans on Feb 18 to revive the Monaco Grand Prix as a spectacle by increasing the number of mandatory pit stops during the race.

Arguably one of world sport’s most glamorous events, the Monaco Grand Prix’s distinctive twisty street track has remained largely unchanged since the first race was staged in 1929.

Last season’s edition saw the top 10 finish in the same order they started, with the size and weight of modern-day Formula One cars making overtaking all but impossible on the 3.3km course.

But the FIA has now proposed, following an F1 commission meeting in London on Feb 18, doubling the pit stops from the regulation one in a bid to make the race much less of a procession.

“With the aim of promoting better racing at the Monaco Grand Prix, the commission discussed proposals for Monaco-specific regulations,” said an FIA statement.

“The commission agreed to increase the number of mandatory pit stops in the race. These proposals will be further discussed by the sporting advisory committee in the coming weeks.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “I’ve just come from that meeting and basically the discussion was obviously Monaco, you can’t change the layout of the circuit.

“As we’ve seen previously, particularly with these cars as big as they are now, the race is very much dictated by the Saturday (when qualifying takes place). And what we saw last year was if you get a red flag early on and everybody just puts another tyre on, then it’s very static.

“So stating that you have to use potentially all three (tyre) compounds brings in another element, so it becomes a two-stop race and should it rain as well, there would also be a mandatory two-stop.

“So it’s unique to that race and it’s really due to the nature of the circuit.”

During the 2024 race, the drivers were allowed to put on fresh tyres during a red-flag period after Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were involved in a three-car crash on the opening lap.

The upshot of that decision was that the majority of the field did not need to change tyres in the race itself.

“This is really boring,” world champion Max Verstappen said over his Red Bull team radio during the race before adding: “I should’ve brought my pillow.”

After the race, the still-frustrated Dutchman said: “We are driving literally half-throttle on the straights, in a higher gear than you would normally do, four seconds off the pace. That’s not really racing.”

In other news, the F1 teams have discussed the FIA’s clampdown on swearing after mixed responses to incidents in other series over the past week.

A first offence in F1 now triggers a €40,000 (S$56,000) fine, rising to €80,000 for the second and €120,000 plus a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points for a third breach.

British driver Dan Ticktum escaped punishment for an expletive-laden rant over the team radio in a Formula E race in Jeddah on Feb 14, with stewards ruling it was an internal discussion.

But Hyundai’s French rally driver Adrien Fourmaux was handed a €10,000 fine, with another €20,000 suspended, in Sweden on Feb 16, for swearing in a live post-race broadcast interview.

“We want to have a clear briefing of what should be said and should not be said,” said Racing Bulls chief Peter Bayer.
AFP, REUTERS