Charles Leclerc sounded a note of caution over the FIA’s plans to introduce more special rules for his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 Commission has agreed to introduce a new regulation increasing the number of mandatory pit stops drivers must make in the race on the famed street circuit. The precise wording of the proposed rule is now under discussion by the Sporting Advisory Committee.
The narrow layout of the Monaco track, and the wider cars F1 introduced in 2017, means the grand prix tends to be processional. That was especially so last year when a first-lap red flag allowed all drivers to complete their mandatory change of tyre compounds without making a pit stop. Afterwards Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali vowed “we must not let that happen again.”
Monaco’s race is unusual in that it is already governed by certain special rules. The distance of its grand prix is set at 260 kilometres, 45km less than every other round of the world championship.
The FIA revealed two days ago its plan to introduce another special rule for Monaco’s race, requiring drivers to change tyres more than once, and therefore make more pit stops. Leclerc said increasing the strategic options for drivers could make the race more interesting, but said F1 should be prepared to abandon the rule if it doesn’t work as intended.
“Because strategy will become a bit more of the thing, I think [that] is a good thing. Monaco is super-exciting on a Saturday – for us drivers it’s incredible, it’s the best qualifying of the year. Then on the Sunday it can get a little bit… there’s not much happening.
“So I think this is a way to spice the things up a bit more. But then we’ve got to be open-minded. If it’s the direction that we are going today, then we need to see if that actually makes a difference or not and be open to change back if that’s not the right solution.”
Another rule which was introduced with the aim of improving the show, the bonus point for fastest lap, has been scrapped for this year.
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