Lando Norris has secured a prime opportunity to clinch his first Monaco Grand Prix victory starting from pole position. However, a newly introduced regulation requiring two mandatory pit stops is expected to inject uncertainty and potentially “chaos” into Sunday`s race.
In the past 21 years, only five drivers starting from pole at F1`s prestigious `jewel in the crown` have failed to win. Norris must now navigate the challenge from local favourite Charles Leclerc, his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, and the strategic complexities posed by the two-stop rule to avoid joining that short list.
Following last year`s race, which was widely criticized as processional with the top 10 finishing in the same order they started, the FIA announced in February that drivers would be required to change tyres at least twice during the Grand Prix.
This rule change aims to put a greater emphasis on strategy and likely compel drivers to push harder, increasing the inherent risk of incidents and triggering Safety Cars on the tight Monaco circuit.
“I think there`ll be more opportunity for everyone. But that`s the way it is. That`s what Formula 1 has done, is to just try and put on more of a show,” Norris commented.
“Of course, in my position now, I probably don`t agree with what`s been done. But I`m not the one who makes the rules, so we`ll see. But I think there is more opportunity for everyone, whether you are starting on pole or if you`re starting last.”
“I think you can be more optimistic, which is great for you guys, not so good for me. So let`s wait and see.”
Monaco GP Qualifying: Top 10 starting grid
- 1) Lando Norris, McLaren
- 2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- 3) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- 4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- 5) Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- 6) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
- 7) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- 8) Esteban Ocon, Haas
- 9) Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
- 10) Alex Albon, Williams
Charles Leclerc will be aiming to become the first driver since Nico Rosberg in 2015 to win the Monaco Grand Prix two years in a row. If he manages to keep pace with Norris, the Ferrari driver will face the critical decision of whether to attempt an undercut on the pole-sitter or run a longer first stint hoping for a Safety Car to benefit from a cheaper pit stop. This strategic game will be crucial throughout the field.
“I think it`s going to be a bit of chaos but we`ll see how it plays out. I think there`ll be a lot of strategy games, and we`ll see who comes out on top,” said Leclerc.
“But I think we might be under pressure of cars that we probably don`t expect from the back, which might make everything interesting.”
Numerous Scenarios to Consider
The potential race outcomes are vast, but a key challenge will be avoiding traffic after pitting while simultaneously trying to undercut or overcut rivals. This is particularly difficult if you are not running near the front, and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that the implications of two mandatory pit stops are “much wider than we thought initially”.
“These implications also add the factor that, depending on you being at the front or you being at the back of the field, you can make significantly different choices,” Stella explained.
“And then, as a function of red flags, Safety Cars, teamwork, we may see cars helping each other on the same team. This may lead to very, very different scenarios.”
“So, I think the strategy meeting… will be longer than usual because the scenarios to consider are definitely many more than what you normally consider – not only in Monaco, but in any other race that we need to prepare.”
Will Piastri Support Norris?
Oscar Piastri currently holds a 13-point advantage over Lando Norris in the Drivers` Championship after seven rounds. However, a win for Norris could significantly narrow that gap. One potential strategic play involves a team using their second car to deliberately slow down rivals who have just pitted, leveraging Monaco`s challenging overtaking opportunities.
Ferrari might consider this strategy, especially with Leclerc starting second and Lewis Hamilton in seventh following a grid penalty. When asked if he would help Norris secure the win, Piastri initially joked to his teammate, “How much are you going to pay me?” before adding, “I mean, I want to win the race too. So let`s see what happens. I think it`s going to be a pretty chaotic race, but we`ll see what happens.”
Stella clarified the team`s stance: “We will always try to make decisions and let the race unfold in a natural way, so that our two drivers have their best opportunity to capitalise on their performance and on their efforts. I think we don`t foresee any deviation from this natural evolution of the race, unless it`s a benefit for both.”
What if there is a red flag?
Sky Sports F1`s Bernie Collins offers insight:
“If we get two red flags, we still won`t have any pit stops. Unless people have stopped before the red flag.
“Because the rules don`t say you need to have two pit stops. The rules just say you need to run three sets of tyres.
“So, if we got a situation like last year, you had a red flag on lap one, that would be two of your sets.
“You`d only have to do one more pit stop after that. And if you get another red flag at some other point, then you don`t have to do any more pit stops. So, it could still prevent you doing any pit stops.”
Strategy for Backmarkers
Drivers starting further down the grid are expected to consider pitting on the first lap to complete one of their mandatory stops early. This aims to give them clear track space to gain time through the undercut. The risk, however, is that a poorly timed Safety Car could benefit those who haven`t pitted yet. This gamble is particularly tempting for teams like Mercedes, whose drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli qualified a disappointing 14th and 15th respectively.
“I think you will see half of the drivers will go one direction, half will go in the other so there`s not much you can do from this position,” Russell told Sky Sports F1.
“Two pit stops for Monaco is not normal but two pit stops in many other races is very normal, so there`s not going to be any revelations.”
“We were preparing from the front few grid positions. We didn`t have any strategy plans from P14 and P15. We are here now and that`s not good.”
