Sunday’s 78-lap cruise by way of the Monaco streets was hamstrung by a heavy first-lap crash involving Sergio Perez and Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.
Beneath the ensuing crimson flag, all drivers had been allowed to vary tyres, negating the necessity for necessary pitstops afterward.
The rule stops disadvantaging drivers who’re but to pit proper earlier than a mid-race crimson flag, however having a lap-one crimson flag on a circuit like Monaco, the place overtaking is nearly not possible and the place the tyres can final the entire race, has had some unintended side-effects.
Not solely did that drawback drivers who opted to strive one thing totally different and begin on the onerous tyres, forcing them to finish a full race distance on mediums, nevertheless it additionally eradicated any jeopardy that might come up from pitstop execution and technique typically.
In Monaco, the polesitter is extraordinarily prone to win, however botched pitstops or technique calls have price wins prior to now to the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Charles Leclerc, injecting the prospect of some drama into an in any other case lifeless affair.
Throughout the spectrum drivers lamented that the lap-one crimson flag killed any form of strategic performs.
“After the crimson flag, our technique was ruined as we needed to put the medium on to the top as everybody had a free cease and that meant that we needed to save loads,” sixth-placed Verstappen stated.
George Russell, Mercedes W15
Picture by: Erik Junius
“I simply tried to observe George and we had been so off the tempo making an attempt to handle the tyres. That’s fairly boring on the market, driving actually half throttle on the straights in some locations.”
Fourth-placed finisher Lando Norris agreed with Verstappen, saying: “There’s simply nothing you are able to do, particularly with the crimson flag at the start, I feel that ruined every other alternatives that may have come my method with technique and tyre-saving, so a little bit of a disgrace.”
Even Williams’ Alex Albon, who really benefitted from the free pitstop as a result of he had began on mediums, acknowledged that the present guidelines did not make an entire lot of sense.
“Yeah, we have to determine what is going on on. I feel that if it is a lap-one crimson flag, nonetheless have a compulsory pitstop in there or one thing. It labored in our favour to be truthful to you, so I will not complain an excessive amount of…”
Alex Albon, Williams FW46
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures
On the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Norris had already slated what he referred to as “probably the worst rule ever invented” after he had pitted underneath the security automotive, proper earlier than the race was red-flagged for an incident. That made him drop from sixth to 14th whereas watching everybody forward of him get a free cease.
Aston Martin driver Alonso hoped Sunday would carry the difficulty again on the agenda after earlier discussions on the rule did not quantity to something.
“The one focal point in a Monaco race is the pitstops that it’s a must to do,” he stated. “If you happen to take away that pleasure of a pitstop, then it turns into nothing.
“Perhaps it reopens the conversations of when there’s a crimson flag, not altering tyres or being obliged to have the identical tyre or one thing, as a result of if not, there are specific events that the race is compromised.”
When requested by Motorsport.com if he was hopeful the rule can be revisited this time, he snapped again:Â “I do not know. There are lots of issues that they haven’t modified, in all probability as a result of they do not take heed to the drivers.”
