The FIA has confirmed that a two-stop requirement will be mandated for this year’s Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
The F1 Commission proposed the move last Tuesday, after a series of underwhelming races around the principality.
In 2024, only four on-track overtakes occurred and the Lap 1 red flag neutralised proceedings as several teams opted to change tyres under caution.
With or without a red flag, the Monaco GP is a dull affair as the cars have grown too big for a circuit largely unchanged 75 years on from its F1 debut.
In a bid to spice things up, the World Motor Sport Council approved a two-stop mandate for this year’s race, in wet or dry conditions, with three sets and at least two compounds to be used in normal conditions.
“The WMSC reviewed a proposal regarding the implementation of a mandatory 2-stop strategy (in both wet and dry conditions) for the Monaco GP, with the primary intent of improving the sporting spectacle of this race,” an FIA statement read.
“Following recent discussions in the F1 Commission, a specific requirement for the Monaco GP has been approved mandating the use of at least three sets of tyres in the race, with a minimum of two different tyre compounds to be used if it’s a dry race.”
Leclerc: Monaco must be ‘open-minded’ to change
Monaco home-hero and 2024 winner (at long last) Charles Leclerc was happy to see a proposed change to spice up his favourite race when quizzed on the matter ahead of the final decision.
However, the Monegasque driver hastened to add that should the two-stop mandate fail, Monaco should be “open-minded” about reverting back to the norm.
“Because strategy will become a bit more of the thing, I think [that] is a good thing,” Leclerc told media including Motorsport Week.
“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… there’s not much happening.
“So I think this is a way to spice things up a bit more.
“But then we’ve got to be open-minded.
“If it’s the direction that we are going today, 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.”
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