Lewis Hamilton, the British driver for Mercedes AMG F1 W15, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Monaco Grand Prix, stating that it was quite boring and even suggested that people might have fallen asleep while watching. This lack of excitement is not a new phenomenon in modern Formula 1, as the cars are not suitable for the tight layout of the Monaco circuit. Furthermore, the race was further affected by a red flag on lap 1, resulting in a race without any strategic excitement. Hamilton described the race as a dull event and believed it would not captivate the viewers.
Although some drivers and team bosses, such as Max Verstappen and Christian Horner, have proposed changing the layout of the Monaco track to make the race more exciting, Hamilton had a different idea. He suggested that forcing cars to make pit stops during the race could improve the spectacle. Hamilton argued that the tires used in Formula 1 can last a whole race, so introducing two harder tire compounds and implementing three mandatory pit stops could add some excitement to the event. This solution is worth considering, especially since the top 10 finishers in the Monaco Grand Prix started and finished in the same positions.
Although multiple mandatory pit stops may not directly impact the action on the track, this would create a strategic challenge for teams and drivers. This would give fans something to look forward to as they witness the tactics employed during pit stops and overtaking maneuvers. However, if this rule were in effect during the race, it could have caught Hamilton and Mercedes off guard. During the race, Hamilton managed to build a gap between him and the cars behind him to make a pit stop without losing position. Unfortunately, a communication failure within the team caused Hamilton to return to the race behind Max Verstappen when the Red Bull driver made his pit stop. Toto Wolff, the head of the Mercedes team, admitted it was their mistake.
Overall, Hamilton’s suggestion to introduce mandatory pit stops in the Monaco Grand Prix is an interesting idea that could potentially add excitement to the race. However, it also presents risks and challenges for teams and drivers.
