The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) were forced to change a long-standing rule ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and co will compete at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix which will take place at Circuit de Monaco on Sunday (May 25).
The glitz and glamour of the Monte Carlo Bay circuit is certainly one of the more scenic sporting events on the calendar.
However, in recent years, some – including Verstappen – have accused the race of being ‘boring’ due to the narrow track, which reduces the chances of overtaking.
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On Sunday, new rules will he enforced by the FIA.
As per F1.com, “For the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix, drivers must use at least three different sets of tyres, which means a minimum of two visits to the pit lane.
“It is hoped that the change will inject some excitement into the encounter, which takes place around Monte Carlo’s tight, twisty streets (meaning a lack of overtaking opportunities) and is commonly a one-stop affair”.
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But this is not the first time the race has broken tradition.
In 2021, a 93-year tradition was broken when the usual Friday, Saturday, Sunday sequence for practice, qualifying, and the race itself was changed.
Instead, practice was moved to Thursday, and Friday did not host an event.
The reason for the change was due to Ascension Day – a bank holiday in the province.
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As a result, traffic was allowed to flow and people enjoyed observing the bank holiday without the major disruption of the F1 event.
In 2022, the Thursday was scrapped, with action running from Friday to Sunday. The reason given was to make the race weekend more compact.
This year, practice did take place on Friday, with qualifying set for Saturday and the race on its usual Sunday slot.
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As things stand, the McLaren duo of Norris and Oscar Piastri lead the Drivers’ Standings on 133 and 146 points respectively, with four-time F1 champion Verstappen in third on 124.
The Red Bull man gave his thoughts on the two-stop rules on Friday (May 23).
"It can go both ways – it can be quite straightforward, or it can go completely crazy because of safety cars coming into play or not making the right calls,” said Verstappen.
"Maybe with a two-stop, it can create something different – people gambling, guessing when the right time is to box (pit)."
Topics: FIA, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Motorsport, Formula 1
Luke Davies