Max Verstappen and George Russell voiced sharp criticism of Formula One’s recent rule change requiring mandatory pit stops at the Monaco Grand Prix, a move intended to inject more excitement and strategy into the notoriously difficult-to-pass street race. However, both drivers argued that the change failed to deliver any meaningful improvement to the spectacle, instead making the event feel artificial and disconnected from real racing.
Monaco is one of the crown jewels of the F1 calendar, famous for its tight, twisty streets and challenging circuit layout. But the narrow track also makes overtaking nearly impossible, especially with the modern generation of F1 cars, which have grown larger and heavier. The mandatory two-stop rule was introduced to force teams to strategize and create more opportunities for position changes. Yet, the race on Sunday showed that the fundamental problem remained untouched: no on-track overtakes occurred throughout the 78 laps.
Verstappen, who led for the final part of the race but lost out after his last pit stop, was particularly blunt in his assessment. He acknowledged the intention behind the rule but said it simply hadn’t worked. “I get it, but I don’t think it has worked,” he said. “You can’t race here anyway so it doesn’t matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end I was in the lead, but my tyres were completely gone, and you still can’t pass.”
He went on to deliver a sarcastic critique of the situation, likening the race to a video game rather than a genuine motorsport contest. “We were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we have to install bits on the car – maybe you can throw bananas around? I don’t know, slippery surface?” His comments highlighted the frustration with an imposed artificiality that detracts from authentic racing.
Russell shared a similar view, especially given his own difficult race. Starting from 14th place due to an electrical problem in qualifying, he found himself stuck behind slower cars on different strategies. Unable to overtake cleanly, he resorted to illegal moves and received a penalty. For Russell, the race format itself seemed out of step with what drivers and fans really want from Monaco.
He suggested a radical rethink of the weekend’s structure, proposing that the event focus purely on qualifying sessions rather than a full race. “The two-stop clearly did not work at all,” he said. “For all of the drivers, qualifying is the most exhilarating moment of the weekend. Do we accept that there should be no race and it’s a qualifying race? You do one on Saturday, one on Sunday and the guy who qualifies on pole gets some points and gets a little trophy. The one on Sunday gets some more points, because that’s what we love most. I think that’s what you guys enjoy watching the most.”
Russell’s point about the audience experience was equally pointed. He remarked that much of the Monaco crowd is detached from the racing action itself, enjoying the glamour and lifestyle aspects of the event. “And 99% of the other people in Monaco are here sipping champagne on a yacht, so they don’t really care.”
The attempt to make the race more dynamic by enforcing mandatory pit stops has therefore failed to address the key challenge posed by the Monaco circuit: its physical layout simply limits overtaking opportunities. Modern F1 cars, with their size and aerodynamic dependency, struggle to pass each other in the tight confines of the street track.
Lando Norris took advantage of the pit stop shuffle to claim victory after starting from pole position. His consistent pace and strategic positioning allowed him to capitalize when Verstappen pitted late. While Norris’s win was celebrated, the race itself was marked by a lack of genuine on-track battles and overtakes.
This event has reignited debate about how F1 can balance tradition and spectacle, especially at classic venues like Monaco. Whether through technical changes, race format adjustments, or other innovations, the sport faces the challenge of preserving the unique character of iconic tracks while ensuring exciting, competitive racing for drivers and fans alike. For now, the two-stop pit stop rule at Monaco looks like an experiment that missed the mark, prompting calls for fresh thinking on how to keep the glamour Grand Prix truly engaging.
