Fernando Alonso has provided his reaction to the changes proposed to the Monaco Grand Prix in a bid to improve racingat the street track.
Monaco is one of F1’s oldest circuits but the cars have now got to the point where they have outgrown it, with overtaking pretty much impossible without risking a crash.
Last year’s race turned into a farce when there was an early red flag for a big crash involving Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, and Kevin Magnussen. The red flag rules effectively allowed all teams to change tyres, which sealed the race result from when it resumed.
Only four overtakes were recorded, all of which were a consequence of Esteban Ocon retiring on the opening lap after a collision with his teammate Pierre Gasly.
Questions were asked after the race over how to improve it, with proposals recently discussed by the F1 Commission. When asked about these changes at the F1 75 launch, two-time Monaco GP winner Fernando Alonso gave a blunt response.
Fernando Alonso does not think Monaco GP changes will make a difference
The FIA confirmed that a meeting with the F1 Commission in London discussed proposals to introduce two mandatory pit stops for the Monaco GP in a bid to improve racing at the track.
These proposals received universal support from all the teams, with the next step set to be a meeting with the FIA Sporting Advisory Committee in the coming weeks. Charles Leclerc is ‘hopeful’ the changes to the Monaco GP will lead to a more entertaining race in the future.
READ MORE: Seven unforgettable Monaco GP moments including Senna vs Mansell and Schumacher’s controversy
It would not be the first time that Monaco has a specific rule, with it also being the only race on the calendar that has a shortened race distance. The 78-lap race is just over 260km (161 miles), which falls short of the required 306km (190 miles) established in 1989.
When asked about the proposed Monaco-specific rule, Alonso gave a rather direct response: “Depends where you start.”
“If you start in the middle, you will need a lot! If you start last maybe you need 10 or 12. I won two times, and it was ok with the number of stops.”
Lance Stroll makes his proposal for ‘dull’ Monaco GP
Monaco has drawn criticism in recent years due it being billed as one of F1’s biggest events, but always becoming a letdown.
The track has always received support from traditionalists but in recent years there has been more of a drive to make improvements, given how wide the cars are and how challenging it is to improve overtaking.
READ MORE: The most successful drivers at the Formula 1 Monaco GP of all time
Lance Stroll believes there needs to be changes to the circuit if F1 wants to see better racing: “It needs some track changes if possible, definitely dull to watch.”
F1 cars will be narrower from 2026 but not enough to improve racing at the principality, while there have been proposals to utilise more land to create more overtaking opportunities.
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