26/05/2025 16:00
The inaugural two-stop-mandated Monaco Grand Prix was not the success story F1 hoped it would be. In fact, it was a failure. Whilst it was a nice idea, born from a wish to improve the spectacle, it saw teams engage in the dark arts. Both Racing Bulls and Williams deliberately backed up the pack up to ensure double-points finishes. And, to be fair, who can blame them? Not only did it not increase overtaking - not that it was widely expected to - it had next to no impact on the fluidity of positions within the top 10. Lewis Hamilton undercut Isack Hadjar and that was that; the top four finished in the order they started in. It is not yet clear whether the novel approach will remain in place for the round in Monte Carlo next year, or if there will be tweaks to the format - like specific pit stop windows or maximum lap time deltas. Nonetheless, Max Verstappen was critical of not only the new Monaco-specific rule post-race, but also of the grand prix itself . "You can't race here anyway, so it doesn't matter what you do, one stop or 10 stops," the Dutchman told Sky Sport F1 . "Even at the end I was in the lead, but my tyres were completely gone, and you still can't pass. "I think nowadays, with an F1 car, you can just pass a Formula 2 car around here... I get it, but I don't think it has worked." And many fans agree with him, with some even calling for the race to be dropped from the F1 calendar entirely. In RacingNews365 comment section on the Verstappen article, Robsoto wrote: "He [Verstappen] is right. It is a joke and the race should be taken off the calendar!" Roger Hallam replied: "Wholeheartedly agree. Perhaps they will have 3 pit stops next year! When teams KNOW there will be a mandatory number of stops they can play the team game which was evident this year. Remove Monaco from the calendar (as far as I know they pay the lowest hosting fee anyway) and reinstate Imola!!" TTTCOTTH agreed, adding: Its not the mandated pit stops, it's the course. Its old, tired, and obsolete. Time to flush it." So, although the Monaco Grand Prix is locked onto the F1 calendar until 2031, it re-energises the age old question surrounding the jewel in F1's crown: Should the Monaco Grand Prix be cut from the F1 schedule? Let us know what you think in the comments section and by voting below in the latest poll by RacingNews365 .
