The Method 1 Monaco Grand Prix duties drivers with surviving 78 of probably the most tough laps on the calendar, as they rocket by a number 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, current years have made the race itself one thing of a procession. The present technology of vehicles, huge 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 12 months, which means that drivers should make two obligatory pit stops, utilizing three totally different units of tires, and if the race is run in dry situations they have to use at the least two totally different tire compounds.
You probably have heard the phrase “voyage of discovery” forward of an F1 race earlier than, you’re going to hear it much more right this moment.
Lando Norris captured pole place for right this moment’s Monaco Grand Prix with a brand new observe file 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 totally different tire compounds, which suggests they’re required to make at the least one pit cease.
This 12 months’s Monaco Grand Prix is totally different. Drivers at the moment are required to make two totally different pit stops and use three totally different units of tires. The 2-compound rule stays, which means groups might theoretically use a soft-medium-medium or a soft-hard-hard technique.
However they should cease at the least twice.
What occurred in final 12 months’s race?
Final 12 months’s race is probably the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s again” in relation to 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 huge three-way shunt coated the primary sector in particles, bringing out the purple flag.
When the session resumed your entire discipline had switched to the laborious tire, and the entrance runners went the remainder of the way in which on that compound, managing their tires and holding the speeds down. In consequence, the race took on the texture of a parade greater than the rest, as the sector adopted Charles Leclerc across the Monte Carlo streets.
I spoke with Oscar Piastri, who completed second final 12 months, within the days after the Monaco Grand Prix.
“It’s extremely powerful [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 gradual,” began Piastri. “It was as a result of he was deciding to go gradual, proper.”
“So it’s not like some other place the place they’ve clear strengths and weaknesses and you may sort of set them up [for an overtake]. Like for him, if he wished to go quicker, he might have, actually relying on what he wished to do together with his proper foot,” added the McLaren driver. “In order that additionally made it powerful.”
Piastri admitted he made one try, however reviewing the race afterward, he conceded it might have been tough to make the overtake stick.
“I attempted as soon as into Flip Eight to attempt to get by. However, yeah, I watched it again and to be sincere, 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 out there?
Whereas we often have a look at the technique choices first, it would make extra sense this week to begin with the tires that every driver has out there.
Right here is that graphic, courtesy of Albert Fabrega:
Apparently sufficient, whereas most groups have at the least two recent units of tires from totally different compound ranges, Aston Martin can 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 gentle tires.
As for Lance Stroll, he has two scrubbed units of the C4 laborious 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 laborious tires and a recent set of C5 medium tires. Charles Leclerc, who begins alongside Norris in P2, has a recent C4 laborious 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 gentle units.
Mario Isola, Pirelli’s director of Motorsport, predicted that the C6 gentle tire should come into play on Sunday.
“All three compounds will come into play: in actual fact, drivers from three groups, Pink Bull, Racing Bulls, and Sauber, solely have one set of Arduous tires and one in every of Medium, so they’re certain to have to make use of the C6 in the course of the race,” mentioned Isola in Pirelli’s post-qualifying report.
What are the technique choices?
Actually?
Who is aware of?
Of their post-qualifying report, Pirelli famous that there are “so many theoretical potentialities” out there to the groups.
“By way of technique, tomorrow’s race can be a one-off,” mentioned Isola. “The modifications to the Sporting Laws launched particularly for this Grand Prix require using at the least three units of tires, which suggests something is feasible by way of the pit cease home windows, on condition that there actually are so many theoretical potentialities, to not point out appearances from the Security Automotive being fairly possible at this observe.”
One chance, notably for the groups in the back of the grid, is to begin the race on one compound, pit on the finish of Lap 1 to change to a second compound, and pit on Lap 2 to change to the laborious tire — which as we noticed a 12 months in the past can go the space — and run so long as attainable.
Groups on the entrance of the grid may wish to begin on the gentle tire and push for a tough, brief stint, and right here is why:
The run from the beginning/end line to Flip 1, the Sainte Commit nook, is among the shortest of the season, overlaying round 150 meters. Nevertheless, this is among the higher spots for overtaking on your entire circuit, so getting a robust launch into Flip 1 may be vital for the drivers on the entrance.
What are the drivers anticipating?
Just like these of us on the skin, those that can be climbing into the vehicles later right this moment are not sure what to anticipate from the Monaco Grand Prix this 12 months.
“I do not know. 4? It’s unattainable to place a quantity on it, particularly right here and extra so most likely up to now than going right into a new-rule race tomorrow,” mentioned Norris after qualifying when requested about how a lot of the job he has performed in proportion phrases. “I’d have felt like a better quantity if it was final 12 months’s guidelines, however clearly this 12 months, issues have modified. Once more, my solely focus till this level has been qualifying. So, I’ve not thought in regards to the race. I don’t have to till later with the group. 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 may be below stress from vehicles that we most likely don’t count on, from the again, which could make every little thing fascinating. We’ll see,” mentioned 2024 Monaco Grand Prix winner Leclerc within the FIA Press Convention Saturday.
“I don’t suppose anybody actually is aware of what to anticipate,” mentioned Piastri.
Later within the FIA Press Convention, Leclerc even used the phrase “unknown” when speaking in regards to 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 of bit into the unknown. Extra stops means extra alternatives,” added Leclerc. “I don’t suppose it can change what occurs in Flip 1, Lap 1. I feel that’s going to be similar to some other 12 months 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 suppose there’s going to be something stunning within the prime positions. I feel there’s going to be some issues which can be most likely going to be stunning within the again, and that might have an effect on the highest positions. So yeah, I don’t know.
“It’s going to be fascinating.”
