Several Formula 1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, have called for changes to the Monaco Grand Prix to ensure a more entertaining race weekend, as the current cars make overtaking on the streets of Monte Carlo almost impossible.
The race is often little more than a parade, but drivers still enjoy racing in Monaco, a relentless challenge like no other. From the cockpit, it’s still an exciting ride. However, the track that hosted the first Grand Prix in 1929 is no longer suitable for modern F1 cars, especially since 2017, as they have become increasingly unwieldy on the tight circuit.
Hamilton, who won three times here, is a big fan of the track as a driver, but he still suggested that F1 should look at how to adapt and improve the race for fans.
“They can definitely schedule a specific weekend for this specific weekend,” he said. “They should come up with some new formulas instead of sticking to the same formula. Don’t you guys stay up watching the game on Sunday?
“Cars are getting bigger and bigger. You can’t really overtake without the risk of a collision.
“I wish we had more, bigger roads and the track could be wider, but I don’t think that will ever happen in Monaco because it’s just a small place. I would say maybe it’s special for this race tires so you have more pit stops, creating more variety.
His sentiments are echoed by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who also points out that modern cars are particularly unsuited to the track. “Cars just need to be smaller and lighter,” he said.
“The reason we can’t race now is because the cars are so big and heavy. They’re so wide, it’s almost like half the track is taken up by one car. It’s almost impossible to overtake it.
Cars aren’t getting smaller or lighter anytime soon, and although some reductions are expected by 2026, they won’t be the dramatic reductions needed.
Last season Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested the track layout needed to be changed to at least create a place where overtaking is possible, a sentiment he reiterated in Monaco this year.
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“Given the size and weight of these cars, it’s fair to say they’re too big to race on these streets because it’s almost impossible to get two of them side by side,” he said.
“Overall, this race will be won in qualifying on Saturday afternoon, so we should always be open to where we can improve. In order to have a really interesting race here, we should at least consider Is it possible to open up some areas that might create overtaking opportunities.
Hamilton took the win for Mercedes in first practice, two hundredths ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with George Russell third but Red Bull and Ferrari Neither uses the softest tires. In the second quarter, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fastest, Hamilton was second with two tenths, Fernando Alonso was third and Max Viktor was third. Max Verstappen ranked fourth.
