Formula One team principals are advocating for modifications to the Monaco Grand Prix circuit to address the persistent issue of limited overtaking opportunities.Recent attempts to inject excitement into the race through mandatory pit stops proved largely ineffective.

Race Recap: Norris Triumphs, But Overtaking Remains Scarce

Lando Norris of McLaren secured victory in Monte Carlo, maintaining control throughout the race despite the introduction of a two-pit-stop rule. However, the race saw a mere two on-track passes in 78 laps. Drivers, including Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who finished fourth, adn George Russell of Mercedes, who ended in 11th place, criticized the rule change as essentially meaningless.

Verstappen and Russell were especially critical of the pit stop strategy, with Verstappen saying, We were almost doing mario Kart.

Team Principals Weigh In: Layout Adjustments Needed

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, believes that altering the track layout to create a feasible overtaking zone is the most crucial change needed. He stated:

The essential problem is you cannot overtake here. The cars are so big now that you just don’t have a chance to get alongside.It’s circuit specific, we’ve known that, it’s been on the calendar for 72 years.Everything has to move with the times ultimately.
Christian Horner,Red Bull Team Principal

Horner further elaborated on the potential for modifications,noting the principality’s history of land reclamation:

It’s an iconic and historic circuit but if you look at how Monaco has changed,how much land they’ve reclaimed into the sea,I don’t think you’d need to do too much. There just needs to be one area where you can have an overtake and everybody knows that coming here the race was pretty much done on Saturday. We’ve introduced another dynamic with the pit stop, wich, ultimately for the top 10, other than the retirement, nobody really changed position.
Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal

Strategic Teamwork and Driver Frustration

The race saw leading teams mirroring each other’s pit stop strategies, and the absence of a safety car or red flag eliminated any element of chance. Further down the grid, teams employed strategic teamwork, deliberately slowing down to create pit window gaps, much to the annoyance of other drivers stuck in a train. The outcome left few satisfied.

Drivers’ Perspectives: Luck vs. Racing skill

Norris expressed concern that the race’s outcome could be steadfast by mere chance rather than actual racing skill. He commented:

There’s not been any more overtaking here. I thought that was what was wanted. Now you just give people possibility by luck,by waiting for a red flag,waiting for a safety car. You aren’t getting a more deserved winner in the end of things.
Lando Norris, McLaren Driver

Organizers and Team Principals Consider Options

While the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) believes track layout changes are nearly unfeasible, Andrea Stella, Norris’s team principal, suggests the idea is worth exploring. Stella stated:

we should praise that Formula One and the FIA made an attempt to improve racing. The main limitation remains the fact that you cannot overtake and this is quite structural as a limitation. I am not sure exactly how this can be modified just simply by imposing a certain number of pit stops. I’m not sure there’s anything that can be done from a track layout point of view. I’ve never thought of this aspect but maybe there’s something that we should consider.
Andrea stella, McLaren Team Principal

Unusual Agreement: Mercedes Joins the Call for Change

In a rare display of unity, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff agreed with his rivals. He suggested imposing a minimum lap time to prevent drivers from driving unnecessarily slowly and proposed discussing layout alterations with the organizers. Wolff explained:

What we can look at is to create some more specific regulations that there’s a maximum of back-off you can have. Does it improve the overtaking? I don’t think that’s feasible. We need to talk also with maybe ACM here. Is there anything we can change on the layout, if you could in a city limited by mountains and the sea?
Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal