Lewis Hamilton has claimed that he was the one who came up with the idea for two mandatory pit stops at the Monaco Grand Prix. The rule change has been introduced for the 2025 running of the legendary race in a bid to improve on-track entertainment. The Monaco Grand Prix is a difficult weekend to digest from a fan’s perspective. Qualifying is undoubtedly the session of the year and is enough on its own to warrant the race having a spot on the calendar.
There is no sensation like watching F1 cars zip through the streets of the Principality on low fuel, holding nothing back as they flirt with the barriers. Sundays, however, are a different matter. Once the leader exits Sainte-Devote on lap one, there is typically little room for change in the running order. Only fortunately-timed safety cars, driver errors, or strategic blunders can shake up the field.
To combat this, F1 and the FIA have approved a unique rule change for 2025. Teams will have to carry out two mandatory pit stops during the race, preventing everyone from bolting on hards during the early stages of the Grand Prix and running to the end without issue.
According to Hamilton, this rule change was his brainchild. “I’m pretty sure that was my idea anyways,” he said. “But if you go back and look at some of the transcripts of previous years, I’ve been mentioning the two stop for years.
“I think Monaco has to be at least a two-stop. The one-stop was never really great. That [Monaco] Grand Prix is a great Grand Prix, but the race has more to offer in the race, hopefully. Maybe with more than one pit stop.”
The Brit also admitted that his solution was not a total fix. “That won’t fix it all,” he continued. “We’ll still see some of the issues of not overtaking and stuff, but I think it will make it more exciting. So I’m all for it.”
The rule change has generally been well-received by F1 fans, who have welcomed the chance to improve the spectacle of one of the sport’s most historic events. Among these supporters is former FIA steward Johnny Herbert.
“Can it be a frustrating race? Yes, it can,” he told CasinoApps.com. “But are all the other races that we go to brilliant and fantastic? No! Monaco is just one of those where the challenge is completely different.
“I think having those pit stops that have to happen rather than having a boring one-stop, for example, will spice it up a little bit more. Is it the same for everybody? Yes, it is. Do they have to be a little bit sharper to get the best from that pit stop? Yes. Adding something just to spice it up is not a problem.”
