Introducing a mandatory two-stop strategy for the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc expects “chaos” on Sunday, but his team-mate Lewis Hamilton reckons that’s better than another “sh**e” race.

The Monaco Grand Prix may take place on a Sunday, but it’s Saturday that all too often determined the outcome of the race.

‘Chaos and games’, but 2025 Monaco GP won’t be ‘sh**e’

The Monaco Grand Prix has been won from pole 32 times since 1950, with the pole-sitter only missing out on a top-three finish nine times in the race’s history.

Even more startling, or worrying for those not on the front row, the race has been won by the driver starting first or second 50 times.

Last year, Charles Leclerc became the 32nd driver to win from pole position when a red flag after a huge crash on the opening lap meant the drivers could make their mandatory tyre change as they sat in the pit lane waiting for the restart.

The early red flag was a big deciding factor as the drivers nursed their tyres to the chequered flag in a processional race that didn’t feature a single change of position amongst the top ten.

The borefest led to the FIA implementing a new regulation, just for Monaco, that makes it mandatory for the drivers to complete two pit stops. It is hoped that the change will inject some excitement into the race.

Key Monaco GP details from PlanetF1.com

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Leclerc believes it could be more chaos than excitement.

“I think it’s going to be a bit of chaos,” said the Ferrari driver, who will line up P2 on the grid behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, “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. But I think we might be under pressure from cars that we probably don’t expect, from the back, which might make everything interesting. We’ll see.

Oscar Piastri, who is P3 on the grid, agrees with the Ferrari driver.

“I don’t think anyone really knows what to expect,” said the McLaren driver. “So probably, yes.”

However, chaos, according to Lewis Hamilton, is better than last year’s “sh**e” Grand Prix.

“I think the two stops should be better than the shite we had last year,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com.

“Last year the Safety Sar came out lap 2 and everyone was just on one tyre for 70-something laps. It was an uneventful race. I think this forces a bit more of a lottery.

“I think you need that at this sort of track because you can’t overtake. I’m excited to see how different it is. I chose to have two hards, Charles chose to have two mediums. I’m hoping that there’s a benefit of that, but of course the two McLarens have two hards as well.”

Planning the best strategy, and also being open to change during the race, will be key says the seven-time World Champion.

“It’s a discussion you have at the beginning of tonight and tomorrow,” Hamilton said. “You have to rely on the team to… because you don’t know where everyone is. You also have to have good patience and try not to overtake yourself. That’s why I’ve given myself two hards, so hopefully that gives me a bit more opportunities.”

Leclerc lines up second on the Monaco Grand Prix grid with Hamilton P7 after he was hit with a three-place penalty for impeding Max Verstappen in qualifying.

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