Latest news with #pitstops
BBC News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Drivers 'too nice' when asked about Monaco changes
Fernando Alonso says Formula 1 drivers are "too nice" in politely fielding questions about whether the Monaco Grand Prix needs drivers have criticised the rule change that was introduced for the event last weekend that required drivers to make two pit stops at Aston Martin driver, a two-time world champion and double winner in Monaco, said: "There is this constant talk of how bad is something, instead of how good is something."This is Monaco. Maybe there is a couple of ideas between all involved in the sport we can think of for Monaco, but I don't think there is any need to think of anything."It is only because there is a lot of content now to be created and drivers we are too nice so we answer to every question."If 40 years ago you ask (Ayrton) Senna and (Alain) Prost about Monaco after one week and they are fighting for the championship, they will be less polite than we are."Alonso, the most experienced driver in F1 history, said that in Monaco "you see one overtake every 10 years".He added: "I am always a little bit surprised about the negative comments from Monaco on Monday."Don't worry next year we will go to Monaco and on Wednesday we will be so excited, and on Friday we all say it's the best track of the season and we all want to win Monaco, and then on Saturday we are all super-excited and the adrenalin on those laps is unique. And then on Sunday we will be disappointed once again. It is what it is."Grand Prix Drivers' Association chairman Alex Wurz posted on Instagram this week some changes to the track , externalhe believed could make racing better there, including moving the harbour front chicane and reprofiling the Loews and Rascasse corners a driver George Russell, a director of the GPDA, said the changes "would definitely not make it worse, but added: "Monaco has always been the same. I don't have the answer. Part of me thinks we should just accept Monaco for what it is."F1 is better for having Monaco on the calendar. Qualifying is exciting, the race is boring but it makes us appreciate some of the other races."Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who won in Monaco in 2024 and was second this season, said: "Do we need to make absolutely every possible effort to make it better on the Sunday? Definitely. "But Monaco has always been like that. Monaco has always been the kind of race where the Sunday not much is happening or a lot less compared to other races. "The qualifying in Monaco is unbelievable, and that's what makes Monaco so special." Will wing change make a difference? F1 introduces stiffer tests on front wing flexibility at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, aimed at preventing teams deliberately exploiting wing flex to enhance front wings helps teams balance the cars between high speed and low-speed corners and Red Bull have been hoping these could hamper McLaren driver Lando Norris, who won in Monaco on Sunday, said his team were not worried about them."No, not at all," Norris said. There are little tweaks here and there but nothing that will change how we have to do anything."Oscar Piastri added: "I've not run the front wing, but Lando's already run the front wing before this year, so we're confident. "That's not our magic bullet. We don't have a magic bullet, but that's not our main strength."Norris trails his team-mate Piastri by three points in the championship and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is a further 22 said of the wing changes: "More has to happen for our side to have proper success. All will be a little impacted, some a little more than others, but it is not going to change the world."
New York Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
After F1 driver criticism, what next for Monaco GP's two pit stop rule?
BARCELONA, Spain — Formula One officials will review the mandatory two pit stop rule enforced at last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix despite concerns from drivers over the format. Following a lack of action in the 2024 race due to an early red flag, F1, the FIA and the 10 teams agreed to introduce two mandatory pit stops for this year's Monaco Grand Prix to try and improve the on-track spectacle. While the race had greater strategic variety, the top four drivers still finished where they qualified, and many drivers were left frustrated by rivals going deliberately slow at points to help their teammates by creating a gap to take a pit stop. Williams driver Carlos Sainz said drivers were effectively 'manipulating the race' through these tactics, while Mercedes' George Russell opted to cut a corner and take a penalty instead of giving a position back to Sainz's teammate, Alex Albon, after growing frustrated of being stuck behind his car. Advertisement The outcome of the two-stop rule in Monaco is set to be discussed at the next F1 Commission meeting, which includes representatives from all 10 teams plus F1 and its regulator, the FIA. This is scheduled to take place in July in the gap between the races at Silverstone and Spa. F1 paddock sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, have indicated to The Athletic that the general feeling is the two-stop rule did mark an improvement on previous races in Monaco where there were no additional regulations in place, despite the comments from the drivers. But there is an openness to review what happened in Monaco and consider any future steps with the format in a bid to try and aid the on-track spectacle, with one source suggesting that all options are on the table currently. The decision to trial two pit stops in Monaco was backed by the teams earlier this year in a bid to spice up the racing, with the regulations and implementation being detailed by F1's Sporting Advisory Committee prior to its approval. A return of the rule for 2026, or any refinements, would require the same backing from the teams once again. Sainz, who serves as a director for the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), said in a news conference on Thursday in Spain that he felt both F1 and the FIA needed to listen to the drivers about potential improvements for Monaco. 'I feel like F1 would benefit a lot in the decision-making process from including us drivers in this conversation,' Sainz said. 'I really believe the sport would benefit if, instead of maybe trying to stop or something, we all sit together in a table and with the ideas of drivers, we let them know to FOM and FIA and put together a solution that actually works.' One of the biggest issues in Monaco remains the size of the current generation of F1 cars, the largest in the sport's 75-year history, and the tight confines of the street circuit that makes overtaking difficult to achieve. Advertisement Although there will be a slight reduction in size with the new car design rules for 2026, drivers doubt it will make much of a difference to improve the situation. One suggestion put forward came from ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz, who is the chairman of the GPDA, which included a series of tweaks to the Monaco circuit to help encourage overtaking. This included repositioning the chicane exiting the tunnel to create a longer straight and a bigger braking zone, allowing for more overtaking attempts, plus a widening of the hairpin at the Fairmont Hotel. WURZdesign proposed Monaco Track upgrades. High level only, considering urban constraints of the city, but aiming to improve raceability. (Nouvelle Chicane idea indeed a larger civil engineering impact) — alex wurz (@alex_wurz) May 26, 2025 But Sainz said he thought these changes would only help '1-5 per cent of the issues that we have,' as drivers would still be able to lap slowly and not be overtaken. That issue is expected to be one of the main topics that emerges when teams come together to discuss Monaco given the frustration many felt with drivers backing off to help their teammates. 'That was not nice,' Haas driver Esteban Ocon told reporters on Thursday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. 'It opens up for such team orders that are honestly not very clean, and it's not a sport anymore if you start to do that. 'Yes, there's always been some team orders in F1, but this is not what we like to see. And to that extent, it's honestly too much.' Ocon added that he thought Russell's decision to cut the track and not give the place back to Albon was 'a bit dirty.' Russell explained on Thursday he was 'tired of seeing Alex drive like a grandma' and knew the drive-through penalty was coming. But he called it 'a bit ironic' that his race result actually improved by not giving the position back as he crossed the line 11th. Advertisement On the format itself, Russell said F1 was 'all grateful for the trial of two-stop,' but that it 'didn't change things as people predicted.' Monaco race winner Lando Norris said it remained a 'special' event in spite of the difficulty to overtake, and that if officials wanted to improve the spectacle, more focus should be placed on qualifying. 'I don't think you can really change the race apart from if you make the cars half the size of what they are now,' Norris said. 'I don't think it needs to change that much. It's never been anything else than what it has been now. 'I think people should just be happy with what it is.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘We were almost doing Mario Kart': Verstappen and Russell slate Monaco F1 GP pit stops
Max Verstappen and George Russell both issued a blunt disapproval of Formula One's attempts to enliven the Monaco Grand Prix by imposing mandatory pit stops. Verstappen compared it unfavourably to Mario Kart, and Russell dismissed the policy as having failed and the race an irrelevance to an audience that were 'sipping champagne on a yacht'. F1 had hoped that enforcing two pit stops would make for some jeopardy and create at least strategic interest in the 78-lap race through the narrow streets of Monte Carlo but it failed to do so. Nor did it address the fundamental problem which was once more painfully clear in the race on Sunday: that modern F1 cars are too big and too heavy to pass one another in Monaco. Only two overtakes on track were achieved in the entire race. Related: Lando Norris wins Monaco F1 GP to close gap on championship leader Piastri Verstappen was leading for the final third but only because he had yet to take his final pit stop and when he did so Lando Norris, who had largely been in front from pole, claimed the victory. 'I get it, but I don't think it has worked,' Verstappen said. 'You can't race here anyway so it doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end I was in the lead, but my tyres were completely gone, and you still can't pass. We were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we have to install bits on the car – maybe you can throw bananas around? I don't know, slippery surface?' Russell, who had qualified out of position in 14th place after an electrical problem, was equally dismissive as he trawled round, stuck behind the slow Williams cars who were on a different strategy but which he was powerless to pass and was reduced to doing so illegally and taking a penalty. He suggested the entire format of the meeting should be changed to a qualifying weekend, given the contest over a single lap usually presents a gripping contest. 'The two-stop clearly did not work at all,' he said. 'For all of the drivers, qualifying is the most exhilarating moment of the weekend. Do we accept that there should be no race and it's a qualifying race? 'You do one on Saturday, one on Sunday and the guy who qualifies on pole gets some points and gets a little trophy. The one on Sunday gets some more points, because that's what we love most. I think that's what you guys enjoy watching the most. 'And 99% of the other people in Monaco are here sipping champagne on a yacht, so they don't really care.' Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'. If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you're on the most recent version. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Turn on sport notifications. • This article was amended on 26 May 2025. An earlier version said there were no track overtakes in the Monaco GP. In fact, there were two.
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
‘We were almost doing Mario Kart': Verstappen and Russell slate Monaco F1 GP pit stops
Max Verstappen and George Russell both issued a blunt disapproval of Formula One's attempts to enliven the Monaco Grand Prix by imposing mandatory pit stops. Verstappen compared it unfavourably to Mario Kart, and Russell dismissed the policy as having failed and the race an irrelevance to an audience that were 'sipping champagne on a yacht'. F1 had hoped enforcing two pit stops would make for some jeopardy and create at least strategic interest in the 78-lap race through the narrow streets of Monte Carlo but it failed to do so. Nor did it address the fundamental problem which was once more painfully clear in the race on Sunday that modern F1 cars are too big and too heavy to pass one another in Monaco. No overtakes on track were achieved in the entire race. Verstappen was leading for the final third but only because he had yet to take his final pit stop and when he did so Lando Norris, who had largely been in front from pole, claimed the victory. 'I get it, but I don't think it has worked,' Verstappen said. 'You can't race here anyway so it doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end I was in the lead, but my tyres were completely gone, and you still can't pass. 'We were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we have to install bits on the car – maybe you can throw bananas around? I don't know, slippery surface?' Russell, who had qualified out of position in 14th place after an electrical problem was equally dismissive as he trawled round, stuck behind the slow moving Williams cars who were on a different strategy but which he was powerless to pass and was reduced to doing so illegally and taking a penalty. He suggested the entire format of the meeting should be changed to a qualifying weekend, given the contest over a single lap usually presents a gripping contest. 'The two-stop clearly did not work at all,' he said. 'For all of the drivers, qualifying is the most exhilarating moment of the weekend. Do we accept that there should be no race and it's a qualifying race? 'You do one on Saturday, one on Sunday and the guy who qualifies on pole gets some points and gets a little trophy. The one on Sunday gets some more points, because that's what we love most. I think that's what you guys enjoy watching the most. 'And 99% of the other people in Monaco are here sipping champagne on a yacht, so they don't really care.'
Top Gear
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Top Gear
Top Gear's guide to staying awake for the Monaco Grand Prix
Formula One Top tips to resist the Land of Nod so you can, er, witness those two mandatory pit stops Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading It's the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend: a race famous for its prestige, glamour, and giving its global TV audience a much-needed forty winks on a Sunday afternoon. Zzz. But wait! F1 has realised that the lack of overtaking is a bit of a problem, so it's introduced a groundbreaking new measure that it hopes will keep viewers hooked. And conscious. Advertisement - Page continues below You might like Except, there might be something in it. Pitting into the chasing pack is a nightmare problem even for F1's elite strategists and whichever Ferrari work experience kid is calling the shots that day. So having to do it twice could make the outcome a complete lottery, especially if some of the teams with nothing to lose decide to throw a Hail Mary and call in a favour from lady luck. Advertisement - Page continues below Say one of the Saubers pits from last place on the opening lap, then pits again at the first hint of a safety car. Then it only need wait for the other 19 cars to make their second stops and hey presto: congrats on your first F1 win, Gabriel Bortoleto. READ MORE Monaco GP: what does the track look like normally? Or… a team could play the long game and leave both its drivers out, then use one as a carbon fibre roadblock as the other disappears into the distance with the race lead. Teamwork makes the dream work. Long story short, you're going to want to pay attention to this one. Here's how to stay sentient from lights to flag. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Simple, and possibly anti-social. But effective. Whack the TV volume right up to 11 and guarantee the conditions for deep sleep aren't met. Who could possibly drift off to Martin Brundle noticing a yellow in sector 1, or Charles Leclerc complaining that his 'front right tyre is dead' when it's literally making the walls shake? Sit in an uncomfortable chair Nope, no comfy sofa for you. Instead fetch one of those solid oak, no-veneer-in-'ere dining chairs that you agreed to buy but definitely didn't appreciate paying for when you moved house all those years ago. And no, you may not use the fitted cushions they came with. Finish it off with an itchy blanket, and stick a couple of Lego bricks under your bum for good measure. Or just stand up. Difficult to nod off while upright. Unless you're a horse. Fuel up on Overpriced F1 Merch Rage* Never go to bed angry, that's what they say. So get your blood boiling intentionally and use it as a source of energy to last the distance. We recommend browsing team merch websites – your cries of 'How much?!' will be enough to power a small town, never mind your eyelids. Shoutout to the $345 McLaren raincoat TG saw recently at the Miami Grand Prix. Made the $120 baseball caps almost look good value. *Trademark pending Instigate a treat system For every lap you stay awake, help yourself to a couple of M&Ms (other chocolate-based snacks are available). The key to this is keeping the bag just out of reach, so you have to physically get up each time. Maybe throw in a few sit-ups to combat the calorie intake. Turn the grand prix into a drinking game As this is a family site we're strictly referring to soft drinks, but hear us out. Favourite driver flat-spotted his tyres? Drink. Caught speeding in the pit lane? Drink. Overtaken on track? Triple drink. The catch is that no one is allowed to rush off to the toilet, and may only use the second-hand commode you picked up on Ebay in advance. Yeah, no one's sleeping now. Or ever again. Simultaneously play the 1996 race on a split screen 2025 race not delivering the goods? Turn your attention to an edition that did. The 1996 Monaco Grand Prix is famous for (spoiler alert!) Olivier Panis winning from 14th on the grid, while all but three cars either crashed out, spun off, or broke down. Now THAT's a grand prix. Rose-tinted viewing spectacles optional.
