Christian Horner supports mandatory pit stops in Monaco, but Max Verstappen remains unconvinced, arguing other changes should come first in Formula 1.
Christian Horner shared some details on discussions regarding potentially mandatory pit stops in Monaco. The Red Bull team principal spoke on the matter Tuesday during the F1 75 event in London.
“I just came from that meeting, and the discussion mainly focused on the fact that in Monaco, you can’t change the track layout, and of course, as we’ve seen before—especially with these cars being as big as they are now—the race is largely dictated by Saturday,” Horner explained.
“What we saw last year is that if you have a red flag early in the race and everyone puts on fresh tires, then it becomes very static.”
“Saying that you potentially have to use all three compounds adds another element, making it a two-stop race, and if it rains as well, there will also be an additional mandatory stop. So it’s unique to this race, and it really comes down to the nature of the circuit.”
Max Verstappen didn’t seem convinced but acknowledged that he would follow the rules: “I just heard about it. I don’t know if it’s going to make a huge difference or anything else. Honestly, I don’t care if it’s one stop, two stops, 25 stops. It’s all good. I do what’s decided.”
“It’s just one of those tracks where overtaking is very difficult. Of course, the bigger the cars, the harder it is to race. I felt that in 2016, there was still a small opportunity. Now, it’s gone. I don’t know if two pit stops will help, but I guess we’ll find out.”
Asked about what he would like to change in modern Formula 1, Verstappen criticized the proposed Monaco rule and once again voiced concerns over the length of the calendar, which he believes is difficult for drivers to manage.
“Certainly not more mandatory pit stops! Fewer races—24 is too much. I think we travel a lot. Fewer races would be where I’d start. There are many things that can be changed. The commercial aspect also needs to be understood. I look at things from a driver’s perspective.”
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Verstappen Doubts Monaco Fix as Horner Pushes for Change Verstappen Doubts Monaco Fix as Horner Pushes for Change Verstappen Doubts Monaco Fix as Horner Pushes for Change
