The System 1 Monaco Grand Prix duties drivers with surviving 78 of essentially the most tough laps on the calendar, as they rocket by a few of the most iconic scenes in motorsport with partitions — and hazard — looming round each nook.
But F1 immortality awaits on the finish of these 78 hair-raising laps.
Nevertheless, latest years have made the race itself one thing of a procession. The present technology of automobiles, large in dimension, have made overtaking a close to impossibility within the race itself. To enhance the “racing spectacle” the game’s governing physique has instituted a brand new two-stop rule for the Monaco Grand Prix this yr, that means that drivers should make two obligatory pit stops, utilizing three completely different units of tires, and if the race is run in dry circumstances they need to use no less than two completely different tire compounds.
If in case you have heard the phrase “voyage of discovery” forward of an F1 race earlier than, you’ll hear it much more right this moment.
Lando Norris captured pole place for right this moment’s Monaco Grand Prix with a brand new monitor report on Saturday, however how right this moment’s race unfolds is anybody’s guess.
Here’s a have a look at the attainable tire methods for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix.
What’s the new two-stop rule for the Monaco Grand Prix?
At most races, drivers are required to make use of two completely different tire compounds, which implies they’re required to make no less than one pit cease.
This yr’s Monaco Grand Prix is completely different. Drivers are actually required to make two completely different pit stops and use three completely different units of tires. The 2-compound rule stays, that means groups might theoretically use a soft-medium-medium or a soft-hard-hard technique.
However they should cease no less than twice.
What occurred in final yr’s race?
Final yr’s race is probably the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s again” in the case of the brand new rule. After years of debate over enhance the Monaco Grand Prix, 2024 started with an opening-lap crash involving Nico Hülkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, and Sergio Pérez. The large three-way shunt coated the primary sector in particles, bringing out the crimson flag.
When the session resumed the complete discipline had switched to the arduous tire, and the entrance runners went the remainder of the best way on that compound, managing their tires and retaining the speeds down. Because of this, the race took on the texture of a parade greater than anything, as the sector adopted Charles Leclerc across the Monte Carlo streets.
I spoke with Oscar Piastri, who completed second final yr, within the days after the Monaco Grand Prix.
“It’s extremely robust [to overtake in Monaco]. I feel for me the tough factor is that while I used to be proper behind Charles for lots of the race, it wasn’t as a result of he was sluggish,” began Piastri. “It was as a result of he was deciding to go sluggish, proper.”
“So it’s not like someplace else the place they’ve clear strengths and weaknesses and you’ll sort of set them up [for an overtake]. Like for him, if he needed to go sooner, he might have, actually relying on what he needed to do together with his proper foot,” added the McLaren driver. “In order that additionally made it robust.”
Piastri admitted he made one try, however reviewing the race afterward, he conceded it could have been tough to make the overtake stick.
“I attempted as soon as into Flip Eight to try to get by. However, yeah, I watched it again and to be trustworthy, I used to be even additional again than I assumed. So it undoubtedly wouldn’t have labored. However yeah, that’s simply the character of Monaco, I suppose.”
What tires does every driver have accessible?
Whereas we normally have a look at the technique choices first, it’d make extra sense this week to start out with the tires that every driver has accessible.
Right here is that graphic, courtesy of Albert Fabrega:
Curiously sufficient, whereas most groups have no less than two recent units of tires from completely different compound ranges, Aston Martin might be utilizing some scrubbed units on Sunday. Fernando Alonso has two scrubbed units of hards, a scrubbed set of the C5 medium tires, and three scrubbed units of the C6 delicate tires.
As for Lance Stroll, he has two scrubbed units of the C4 arduous tire, one scrubbed set of mediums, and two scrubbed units of softs, together with a pair of recent C6 tires.
On the entrance of the grid, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris every have two recent units of arduous tires and a recent set of C5 medium tires. Charles Leclerc, who begins alongside Norris in P2, has a recent C4 arduous tire, together with a brand new C5 set, and a used C5 set. As for Max Verstappen, who was promoted to P4 after a three-place grid penalty was handed out to Lewis Hamilton, he has a recent set of the C4 hards, a recent set of the C5 mediums, and 4 used delicate units.
Mario Isola, Pirelli’s director of Motorsport, predicted that the C6 delicate tire should come into play on Sunday.
“All three compounds will come into play: actually, drivers from three groups, Purple Bull, Racing Bulls, and Sauber, solely have one set of Laborious tires and considered one of Medium, so they’re sure to have to make use of the C6 in the course of the race,” stated Isola in Pirelli’s post-qualifying report.
What are the technique choices?
Truthfully?
Who is aware of?
Of their post-qualifying report, Pirelli famous that there are “so many theoretical potentialities” accessible to the groups.
“By way of technique, tomorrow’s race might be a one-off,” stated Isola. “The modifications to the Sporting Rules launched particularly for this Grand Prix require using no less than three units of tires, which implies something is feasible by way of the pit cease home windows, provided that there actually are so many theoretical potentialities, to not point out appearances from the Security Automobile being fairly doubtless at this monitor.”
One chance, notably for the groups in the back of the grid, is to start out the race on one compound, pit on the finish of Lap 1 to modify to a second compound, and pit on Lap 2 to modify to the arduous tire — which as we noticed a yr in the past can go the space — and run so long as attainable.
Groups on the entrance of the grid would possibly need to begin on the delicate tire and push for a tough, quick stint, and right here is why:
The run from the beginning/end line to Flip 1, the Sainte Commit nook, is without doubt one of the shortest of the season, masking round 150 meters. Nevertheless, this is without doubt one of the higher spots for overtaking on the complete circuit, so getting a powerful launch into Flip 1 is likely to be important for the drivers on the entrance.
What are the drivers anticipating?
Just like these of us on the surface, those that might be climbing into the automobiles later right this moment are not sure what to anticipate from the Monaco Grand Prix this yr.
“I don’t know. 4? It’s not possible to place a quantity on it, particularly right here and extra so in all probability prior to now than going right into a new-rule race tomorrow,” stated Norris after qualifying when requested about how a lot of the job he has carried out in share phrases. “I might have felt like the next quantity if it was final yr’s guidelines, however clearly this yr, issues have modified. Once more, my solely focus till this level has been qualifying. So, I’ve not thought concerning the race. I don’t have to till later with the crew. For now, I’m having fun with the second of the laps that I did.”
“I feel it’s going to be a little bit of chaos tomorrow, however we’ll see the way it performs out. I feel there’ll be plenty of technique video games, and we’ll see who comes out on prime. However I feel we is likely to be below strain from automobiles that we in all probability don’t anticipate, from the again, which could make the whole lot attention-grabbing. We’ll see,” stated 2024 Monaco Grand Prix winner Leclerc within the FIA Press Convention Saturday.
“I don’t assume anybody actually is aware of what to anticipate,” stated Piastri.
Later within the FIA Press Convention, Leclerc even used the phrase “unknown” when speaking concerning the rule, and the significance of the run off the road into Flip 1 at Sainte Commit.
“Yeah, as I used to be saying earlier, I feel it’s very tough additionally to know what to anticipate. I feel all of us go a bit bit into the unknown. Extra stops means extra alternatives,” added Leclerc. “I don’t assume it can change what occurs in Flip 1, Lap 1. I feel that’s going to be similar to some other yr as a result of it’s going to be simply as vital. However then we’ll must see with the pit stops.
“I don’t assume there’s going to be something stunning within the prime positions. I feel there’s going to be some issues which are in all probability going to be stunning within the again, and that would have an effect on the highest positions. So yeah, I don’t know.
“It’s going to be attention-grabbing.”