'You still can't overtake' - Monaco two-stop rule gets mixed reviews

Leading Formula 1 drivers gave mixed reviews to nan caller Monaco Grand Prix norm that forced drivers to usage 3 sets of tyres successful nan race.

The alteration was introduced because of increasing concerns astir nan inclination towards uneventful grands prix connected nan constrictive thoroughfare circuit.

The volition of nan norm was to adhd other jeopardy. Overtaking is almost intolerable successful Monaco and successful caller years nan races person tended to beryllium processional if it does not rain.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton said that, while nan norm "didn't make a large quality needfully for me", F1 bosses "need to support connected trying pinch this one".

But four-time world champion Max Verstappen said: "Up front, it didn't do anything."

And title victor Lando Norris said nan norm had "just fixed group opportunity by luck – by waiting for a reddish flag, waiting for a information car".

The Briton added: "You're not getting a much deserved victor successful nan extremity of things, which I don't wholly work together with. I deliberation it should beryllium nan personification who drives nan champion title and deserves to win."

Norris' remarks bespeak what did hap successful nan race. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was moving 4th for astir of nan expansive prix, near his last pit extremity until nan past lap.

This gave him nan lead from Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

The thought was to dream location was a reddish emblem successful nan past portion of nan race. This would person allowed Verstappen to use from a norm that allows drivers to alteration tyres erstwhile a title is stopped.

Had that happened, Verstappen would person taken a restart connected caller tyres and been capable to win. As it was, he dropped backmost to 4th erstwhile he made his last mandatory extremity astatine nan commencement of nan past lap.

Norris said: "It depends what you want. Do you want to manufacture races? There hasn't been immoderate much overtaking here. I thought that was what was wanted."

Verstappen said: "We had thing to lose.

"You conscionable dream that thing happens and you get lucky, but... that didn't travel nan full time."

Norris added: "Overtaking has ne'er been bully successful Monaco, ever. So, I don't cognize why group person specified a precocious expectation. But I besides deliberation Formula 1 should not move into conscionable a show to entertain people. It's a sport. It's who tin title nan best, who tin suffice nan best.

"Everything was astir yesterday. That's nan measurement it's been since immoderate nan first twelvemonth – 50, 60 years ago. So, nan past point I want is manufactured racing, and we decidedly request to enactment distant from that and do a amended occupation pinch cars, pinch tyres."

Championship leader Piastri said: "It decidedly made it a spot much tense astatine a fewer points. You had to push much astatine definite points to benignant of retrieve nan information car windows to different cars astir you, aliases put yourself extracurricular of personification else's information car window. So location were immoderate strategical elements involved. But ultimately, astatine nan front, I don't deliberation it changed a full lot.

"It would person been rather a different communicative if location was a reddish emblem pinch 5 laps to spell and Max would person won. I'm judge if we support this going successful nan future, yet a consequence for illustration that will happen. Is that what we want to see? I don't know. But astatine nan front, I don't deliberation it changed a immense magnitude this weekend."

McLaren squad main Andrea Stella said: "The title was absorbing successful position of really galore scenarios needed to beryllium considered.

"The main limitation remains nan truth that you cannot overtake. This is rather structural arsenic a limitation. I americium not judge precisely really this tin beryllium modified, tin beryllium changed, conscionable simply by imposing a definite number of pit stops."

Stella said he was "interested" to spot whether nan caller rules adjacent year, which introduces cars that are 10 centimetres narrower than this twelvemonth pinch a caller style of engine, make a difference.

"I would dream that this alteration of nan cars will make overtaking possible, moreover astatine slightest erstwhile you are 3 seconds faster, because astatine nan infinitesimal if you are 3 seconds faster, still you cannot overtake," Stella said.

"But this has very overmuch to do pinch nan size of nan car, pinch nan velocity of nan car and nan grip, which intends that nan braking zones are anyhow very, very short. There's conscionable not materially nan abstraction successful braking."

Mercedes squad main Toto Wolff said: "We tried something, we tried an research pinch two-stop, didn't alteration thing successful nan outcome."

Wolff said F1 should see introducing a norm to forestall teams utilizing 1 car to backmost up nan section to advantage different driver, arsenic some Racing Bulls and Williams did connected Sunday.

But Ferrari squad main Frederic Vasseur said specified a norm would beryllium "impossible" to police.

Hamilton added: "It's a very, very difficult track. You evidently can't overtake. But still, an astonishing spectacle and an astonishing location. So galore people. I've ne'er seen truthful galore group here. It's insane.

"And to thrust it connected a azygous lap, it's incredible. So, nan Friday and Saturday is unbelievable. And nan Sunday is benignant of nan time that you want off, almost."