Formula 1 has doubled down on one of its most debated innovations, confirming that the mandatory two-pitstop rule introduced at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix will return for 2026. The decision, ratified this week by the World Motor Sport Council through an e-vote, reinstates a regulation that divided teams, drivers and fans alike.
The rule, now formalised in Article 6.3.6 of the 2026 sporting regulations, requires drivers to use at least three different sets of tyres during the Monaco race. The intent is to inject unpredictability into a circuit notorious for processional racing, where overtaking is as rare as an empty seat in the harbour grandstands.
While the format succeeded in creating drama, it also sparked controversy. Teams exploited the regulation with tactics that many labelled unsporting, including orchestrated blocking to open gaps for team-mates to rejoin the track unchallenged after pitstops. Racing Bulls, Williams and Mercedes were particularly adept at using their second cars as moving roadblocks.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz was among the most vocal critics, branding the manoeuvres as “race manipulation”. “You’re driving two or three seconds off the pace, manipulating the race and the outcome,” he warned after the 2025 event. “If the rule stays, something needs to be done to stop this trend—otherwise it’s going to spiral.”
The FIA’s decision to keep the rule suggests officials believe the added spectacle outweighs the controversy. However, with teams likely to refine the tactics that caused so much uproar this year, F1 may have to consider safeguards to prevent a repeat of the strategic gamesmanship that overshadowed the 2025 race.
Mercedes’ George Russell, who memorably cut the chicane in frustration at being held up by a Williams, underlined the problem: “Driving four seconds off the pace in Monaco is easy. You could put an F2 car out there and it could block an F1 car.”
As the Principality prepares for the 2026 edition, the pressure is now on F1 to ensure the rule delivers excitement without crossing the line into farce.
