Norris wins in Monaco as new pit-stop rules flounder

Qatar Tribune

5 days ago

DPA
Monaco
McLaren's Lando Norris won the Monaco Grand Prix from pole on Sunday after a double pit-stop rule aimed at boosting excitement failed to make much impact.
'It feels amazing. It's a long race, a long, gruelling race,' the Briton said after his maiden victory in the famous event and sixth of his F1 career.
'We could push for the whole race, and we won in Monaco! An amazing weekend with pole, with today. This is what we dream of, this is what I did dream of as a kid,' he added.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who won on home tarmac in Monaco last year, started second on the grid and finished second but was at least on Norris' tail at the end. Overtaking, though, proved too difficult.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri began in third and ended up third to see his lead over Norris in the standings cut to just three points.
World champion Max Verstappen, who fended off the McLarens to win last time in Imola, also finished where he started in fourth having waited until the last lap to box a second time.
Lewis Hamilton, knocked down to seventh on the grid after impeding Verstappen in qualifying, was a rare gainer as he placed fifth and Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar was sixth in his best result so far.
Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli had a nightmare in qualifying and tried to hold back their two stops until well past halfway through the race. A penalty for Russell for gaining an advantage off the track left him 11th. Antonelli finished 18th.
Amid the glitz and glamour on Monte Carlo, the race has been widely viewed as too boring in recent years due to the near impossibility of overtaking on the famous twisting street circuit. Last year's top 10 in qualifying was the top 10 in the race.
F1 bosses reacted by announcing drivers must make at least two pit-stops in the principality this year in a bid to add drama.
Hopes evaporated Teams pondered ahead of the race whether it might be beneficial to pit after just one lap, or pit on a penultimate lap, while the chances of a safety car on the tight track also complicated matters.
The drivers got away from the grid unscathed with Norris ahead. But Kick Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto soon hit the wall when he was squeezed out before the tunnel, heralding a virtual safety car.
Four drivers took the chance to pit but none of the leaders did so.
Another yellow flag followed on lap 9 after the front left wheel of Pierre Gasly's Alpine was ruined by a collision, further preventing any albeit unlikely overtaking moves.
Hamilton was the biggest name to box first on lap 19 when placed fifth and leader Norris came in the next lap.
Hadjar pitted twice by lap 21 in a bold strategy gamble while Piastri's first stop was slower than McLaren would have liked.
Temporary leader Leclerc waited until lap 22 to change tyres a first time and emerged behind Norris, with Verstappen the last of the big five to box on lap 28.
After the first pit stops, Hamilton was the only one of the leading pack to have improved to fifth.
Fernando Alonso then retired his Aston Martin at the halfway mark due to smoke but the veteran knew where to park to avoid a safety car.
The second tyre changes looked key given there was no overtaking among the top drivers and no crashes. Leclerc also complained on the radio he was getting caught up in traffic behind the backmarkers.
Piastri pitted for a second time first amid the top five on lap 49 and Leclerc followed - as did Norris.
Verstappen held on at the front as long as he could before his second compulsory stop on lap 77 of 78, meaning Leclerc could close in on Norris because Verstappen was slowing with ageing tyres.
But Norris held on as fan hopes of a thrilling finish evaporated.
'We lost the race yesterday (in qualifying),' Leclerc said.
'We should have done a better job, Lando did a better job and he deserves the win. It is above our expectations here, I thought we would struggle to be in the top 10 so it has been a good weekend. But I wish I'd won.' The next race is in Spain next weekend.