Monaco GP: F1 drivers predict impact of new Monaco two pit stop tyre change rule ahead of Sunday's race

Formula 1's drivers are excited to see what impact the new two pit stop rule will have on this weekend's showpiece Monaco Grand Prix, suggesting the race could be a "lottery" and even have the potential to "go completely crazy".

For the first time in the iconic street race's history, a year on from a particularly processional 2024 event when a lap-one red flag allowed the field to make their usual one mandatory tyre change, all drivers now have to run three sets of tyres in the 78-lap race.

That effectively means that, unless there are red flags, drivers will have to make two pit stops to change tyres. Normally they make just one in Monaco.

But, in a sport where pre-weekend simulations often determine strategy, there are genuine unknowns for Monaco and a driver who rolls the dice could emerge victorious.

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McLaren's Lando Norris, who sits second to team-mate Oscar Piastri in the Drivers' Championship, suggested: "It will be a complicated race. It is not as simple as 'boxing' twice.

"It's opportunity. That's the biggest thing, there is opportunity for everyone. I think there can be more luck involved for anyone, so it's easier to probably have a surprise winner this weekend."

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen said: "I guess it can go both ways, where it can be quite straightforward, or it can go completely crazy because of Safety Cars coming into play or not making the right calls.

"I think it will spice it up, probably a bit more. Normally, when you have that one stop, once you have a good pit stop and everything is fine, then you drive to the end. You just have to stay focused and not hit the barrier.

"But maybe with a two-stop, it can create something different. People gambling, guessing when the right time is to box. So hopefully it will spice it up a bit more."

While overtaking around the tight and twisty Monaco street layout has always been difficult, the current generation of wide cars has heightened that challenge for drivers.

That has made qualifying position for the Grand Prix increasingly vital, with last year's top 10 starting and finishing in the same positions.

But, thanks to the new race-day tyre rule, Williams driver Carlos Sainz predicted: "It [Qualifying] will be less critical this year.

"There is an element of lottery with the two-stop that we will need to keep an eye on because it's going to throw some curveballs into strategy and everything."

Sainz added: "Lately Monaco has been too processional and that's why I think they are bringing the two-stop.

"Most importantly it's qualifying and then knowing how to manage the race, so let's see if there's not too much of a lottery."

Two-time Monaco winner Fernando Alonso, who is chasing his first points of the year at Aston Martin said: "Definitely the two stops will give some hope after Saturday night.

"Normally in Monaco after qualifying everything is locked for the weekend and you don't have much to do on Sunday, while now you may be lucky or you choose the right moment to stop and there is some hope to make some places. Hopefully we come up with something interesting for Sunday."

And Lewis Hamilton, who has long called for change at F1's blue-riband event to shake up the Sunday spectacle, said: "I think it's good to try something different, if you keep doing the same thing over and over and over you're going to get the same result, so I think it's cool that they're trying something different.

"Whether or not it's the answer, we'll find out. It's definitely going to be different to what we've had in the past years. Whether that's better or not, I have no idea, I can't predict, but I like the way it's looking."

So what will happen on Sunday?

They say fortune favours the brave and that may genuinely come true on Sunday because taking a risk and having a timely Safety Car, or red flag, could vault you up the order.

The key will be to have clean air, so you can push hard, so it's likely drivers towards the back will pit early to get one of their two mandatory pit stops out of the way.

As for the drivers at the front, it will all be about who decides to trigger the first round of pit stops in a bid to undercut their rival. However, other drivers may go long to try the overcut and benefit from a Safety Car, therefore have a "cheaper" pit stop and lose less time in the slow pit lane.

"There is a going to be an element of dice rolling, potentially," explained Haas' Oliver Bearman.

"But it really depends where you qualify because the fastest two-stop is 'X' but it won't be that if you are starting somewhere else and it won't be that if you are starting 16th. It's really going to depend on what's happening.

"I think you're going to see a big variety on Sunday which is going to make it interesting. I'm in a way happy to be an underdog in this situation because it's mine to gain from and lose from in a way.

"If I was sitting in a McLaren this weekend as a favourite to be on pole then I would be a bit disappointed because it's another uncertainty that you could potentially lose a win for, but I hope this can give us an opportunity to have an exciting race.

"I've been trying to think about some crazy stuff, but I think that's what Saturday night will be about after qualifying. Our appetite for risk will be very different depending on where we start."

Mercedes' George Russell added: "It will be interesting. If you start on the medium or soft tyre and there's an early Safety Car or a lap one red flag like last season, you have an easy one-stop to the end of the race.

"For the drivers who have started on the hard tyre, it's very challenging. But then you have the same in the opposite direction. If you go long and there's a Safety Car in the middle… it's going to make it more exciting."

Sky Sports F1's Monaco GP schedule

Friday May 23
10am: F3 Qualifying
12pm: Monaco GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
2.05pm: F2 Qualifying
3pm: F1 Team Bosses' Press Conference
3.45pm: Monaco GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday May 24
9.40am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Monaco GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Monaco GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: MONACO GP QUALIFYING
5pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook

Sunday May 25
6.55am: F3 Feature Race
8.35am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Monaco GP build-up*
2pm: The MONACO GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Monaco GP reaction
5pm: Ted's Notebook
5.30pm: The Indy 500

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Next up in F1's European triple-header is the 'Jewel in the Crown', the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, with coverage starting on Friday live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

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