Monaco has always been an iconic location on the F1 calendar, making for some of the most exhilarating races in history. However, over the years, the race has lost its charm as the sport developed. Now, it is one of the more tedious races to sit through, with little to no action. To bypass the dullness, Lewis Hamilton wants F1 to come up with an experimental new GP weekend format for Monaco.
Speaking to Autosport, Lewis Hamilton said that Monaco hasn’t changed much and that there isn’t much scope for it to change. He stated, “The cars are getting bigger and you can’t really overtake down the pits without a huge risk of colliding.”
#MonacoGP | Lewis Hamilton suggests F1 experiments with Monaco GP format to avoid dull races on Sunday: “The cars are getting bigger and you can’t really overtake down the pits without a huge risk of colliding.”
“Maybe having special tyres for this race so you have more… pic.twitter.com/wDc7CbGd5G
— deni (@fiagirly) May 24, 2024
He then suggested that F1 could introduce special tires for the Monaco GP. Tires with a smaller life cycle would add more pitstops to the race, adding variability to the Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion wondered if others also found the main race to be a bit boring. “Do you guys not fall asleep on Sunday watching the race?”
Thus, the Briton called for the introduction of a new weekend format to maintain Monaco’s relevance on the calendar. With a sprint weekend structure already in place for several venues, Hamilton does not see why a special structure for Monaco would be a no-go. The 39-year-old’s suggestion makes even more sense given his experience of racing in Monaco.
Lewis Hamilton has been racing in Monaco for nearly two decades
When he first came to race in Monaco, an 18-year-old Lewis Hamilton was still a Formula 3 driver. Riding his scooter, the Briton went for a ride around town and was amazed at how “epic” everything was.
Bringing his focus back to racing, the now 39-year-old knew he had to do a good job as F1 teams were also there for their race. Nearly 20 years later, Hamilton is still competing at the venue and remains confident of being able to do a good job.
#MonacoGP | Lewis Hamilton reminisces Monaco: “I got to go on the [F1] grid, which was crazy because I had only seen Martin Brundle in there. It is a really special place (…) and this weekend is really the pearl of our sport.” pic.twitter.com/mz3CGPrPul
— deni (@fiagirly) May 23, 2024
Fighting off performance issues with the W15, Hamilton and Co. have seen a steady improvement in their results. Heading into the Monaco GP weekend, Hamilton is much more confident with the car than on previous race weekends.
He feels the car is much more predictable and much more enjoyable to drive. Nonetheless, he added that the W15 is still far from perfect but the progress is in the right direction.
