Formula 1’s most processional race is about to get a shake-up, at least if Lewis Hamilton has anything to say about it. The FIA has confirmed a new rule for the Monaco Grand Prix, mandating two pit stops for all drivers in an attempt to inject some much-needed drama into a race often criticised for its lack of overtaking.
Previously, drivers were only required to make one stop to swap tyre compounds, but this change forces teams to rethink their strategy entirely. The FIA’s official statement called the move an effort to “improve the sporting spectacle,” a polite way of acknowledging that the tight, twisty Monte Carlo circuit often turns the Grand Prix into a high-speed procession rather than a true battle on track.
Hamilton, never one to shy away from voicing his opinions, was quick to claim responsibility for the change. “I’m pretty sure that was my idea anyway,” the seven-time world champion told the press after pre-season testing in Bahrain. “If you go back and look at the transcripts from previous years, I’ve been mentioning the two-stop rule for ages. Monaco has to be at least a two-stop race. The one-stop was never really great.”
With the new rule in place, all eyes will be on whether it actually delivers the excitement it promises. The Monaco GP remains one of the most iconic events on the F1 calendar, its glamorous setting in the Principality making up for its often predictable racing.
Hamilton, now in his debut season with Ferrari, will be hoping to benefit from the change as he chases a fourth Monaco win—and a record-breaking eighth world title. “The whole team has done an incredible job, and I’m so excited to get to the first race in Melbourne,” he said, gearing up for his first official race in red at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, March 16.
