Motor racing-F1 ponders how to solve a problem like Monaco

The Star

26-05-2025

Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monaco - May 25, 2025 Mercedes' George Russell in action during the race REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
MONACO (Reuters) -Formula One pondered a perennial, if distinctly rich world, problem after a weekend of sunshine, champagne and fast cars going slower than usual: How to make the Monaco Grand Prix more of a race?
Sunday's annual procession around the streets of Monte Carlo served up 78 laps without an overtake and drivers -- faced with the new challenge of a second mandatory pitstop -- driving tactically to score points.
Monaco has never been big on overtaking, with an anachronistically tight and twisty layout that affords few if any opportunities for today's larger and heavier cars and is the slowest on the 24-race calendar.
There were still plenty of suggestions for what might be done to spice things up, without making everything too artificial.
They ranged from the minimalist -- just accept Monaco for what it is and enjoy the atmosphere -- to remodelling the track or modifying the cars.
"We definitely need to have a real think about what the solution is here in Monaco," said Mercedes' George Russell after a frustrating afternoon following Williams' Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz without finding a way past.
"I appreciate trying something this year in the two-stop. Clearly, it did not work at all."
Russell mentioned a qualifying competition -- one on Saturday and another on Sunday with points for both -- as an alternative to even trying to have a race, a move which would certainly offend the purists.
"I think that's what you guys enjoy watching the most," he said. "And 99% of the other people in Monaco are here sipping champagne on the yacht, so they don't really care."
Red Bull principal Christian Horner pointed to the changes around the harbour over the years -- the building and land taken back from the sea -- and felt it was time to tweak a layout first raced in 1929.
"I think everything has to move with the times, ultimately, doesn't it?," he said.
"It's an iconic, historic circuit that, if you look at how Monaco has changed and how much land they've reclaimed (from the sea) in the 72 appearances here, I don't think you would need to maybe do too much.
"There just needs to be one area that you can have an overtake."
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said maybe a solution could be found by making a tweak to the regulations rather than asking Monaco to change.
"This is such a great entertainment. We had full grandstands. There are spectators everywhere on the terraces and on the boat. Lots of spectacle, wining and dining," said the Austrian.
"Saturday is the day the sport comes alive. On Sunday we tried something, it didn't work and maybe for next year we need to find some regulations where maybe we need to define a maximum lap time, so this backing off didn't happen.
"For the sport, for the Sundays itself, we can do better and we can come up with something."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)