Red Bull Chief Delivers Verdict On Huge Monaco GP Change

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed that the Monaco Grand Prix could move away from being a "boring race" with the new rule change mandating two pit stops, which is yet to be approved officially. While he pointed out that an additional pit stop won't result in a big change, he stressed that it will add another "dynamic" to a race where overtaking is extremely difficult.

The iconic Monaco GP is a tight street race where the lack of overtaking opportunities adds an element of monotony sometimes. Thus, the F1 Commission, in a recent meeting, agreed on a new rule that makes it compulsory for F1 teams to make two pit stops, an attempt that intends to make the race more exciting for fans. This will see the teams move away from the traditional one-stop strategy, which made them rely more on qualifying results.

Horner pointed out that with the fixed layout of the Circuit de Monaco and with F1 cars getting wider with each era of regulation, teams relied heavily on their cars' performance in qualifying, considering the scarcity of overtaking opportunities. With the rule change though, Horner feels it is a step in the right direction. He said:

“The circuit is not going to change, the cars have got bigger and bigger.

“Saturday determines everything and I think last year highlighted that if you do have a stoppage, and you can do your change your tyres at that stoppage, it's the end of race. It's a procession."

He added:

“By introducing two stops, it at least adds another dynamic.

“You're going to have to run all three compounds of tyre, and then if it rains, you still have to do two stops.

“It’s a little artificial, but it does add another dynamic and another possibility for Monaco to move away from a very stagnant, boring race that it can often be.”

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who won the 2024 Monaco GP on home soil, admitted that race day in Monaco is not the most thrilling spectacle. However, he stressed that drivers must keep an open mind about rule changes aimed at making the sport more exciting. He said:

"Yeah, because strategy will become a bit more of a thing then, which I think is a good thing. Monaco is super exciting on a Saturday. For us drivers, it's incredible. It's the best qualifying of the year. Then, on the Sunday, it can get a little bit too... there's not much happening. This is a way to spice things up a bit more."

He added:

"We've got to be open-minded. If it's the direction that we are going to take, then we need to see if that actually makes a difference or not and be open to change back if that's not the right solution."