Lewis Hamilton’s chances of a first feature race win for Ferrari have received a huge boost after his rule change suggestion was accepted.
Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, have ratified a rule change for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, making the use of three different tyre compounds mandatory.
In Monaco Hamilton has plenty to smile aboutGetty His Ferrari team have been mega in the pit boxGettyThat means drivers will have to make at least two pitstops, a rule three-time winner Hamilton has been pleading for over the years.
Monaco has become notorious for its lack of overtaking as F1 cars have got bigger and bigger over the years, and this change could provoke switches of position – at least in the pitlane.
When it was mooted at Imola last time out, Hamilton said: “I’m pretty sure that was my idea anyways.
“If you go back and look at some of the transcripts of previous years, I’ve been mentioning the two stop for years.
“I think Monaco has to be at least a two stop. I think the one stop was never really great. I think that Grand Prix is a great Grand Prix, but the race has… there’s more to offer in the race, I think, hopefully. Maybe with more than one pit stop.”
Hamilton started making the recommendation back when he drove for Mercedes, but now in his first year at Ferrari it could be of huge benefit to him.
The Italian squad have been completely dominant when it comes to the best teams at pitstops this season.
F1 ranks the speed of pitstops in association with DHL, and in the current standings Ferrari are top with 221 points, more than double second placed McLaren on 96.
Seven races into the 2025 campaign, Ferrari have recorded the fastest pitstop in six races, with Charles Leclerc’s 2.00-second stop in Saudi Arabia the best of the season.
Red Bull had previously won the overall fastest pit stop award for seven straight seasons from 2017 to 2024, but are facing complications this year with many attributing their struggles to the loss of sporting director Jonathan Wheatley who has joined Sauber, soon to become Audi.
F1Ferrari have replaced Red Bull as the kings of the pit box[/caption]Ferrari have since taken the impetus under Fred Vasseur, who became team principal in 2023.
The Scuderia were previously spited by strategy and pitstop errors under their former leadership, including at Monaco in 2022 when home hero Charles Leclerc was unable to convert pole position after his team strategically collapsed when rain started to fall.
That wasn’t the case last year when the Monegasque finally won his home Grand Prix from pole position, which is usually a formality.
The race saw a first lap crash and was red flagged, allowing the grid to switch to hard tyres for the remaining 77 laps, making the event incredibly boring.
With overtaking virtually impossible due the current size of the cars, drivers were running as much as six seconds slower than average pace as they were easily able to keep cars behind them.
Tyre manufacturers Pirelli are also using their ultra soft three sets for Monaco, which they believe will lead to fascinating strategy calls at what’s become a boring Sunday event.
Pirelli’s head of motorsport, Mario Isola, previously commented: “Teams always find ways to implement a one-stop strategy.
“We try to push them toward a two-stop strategy because it’s better, it’s more action-packed, more unpredictable, and makes for better racing.”
Not only will the news be a boost to Hamilton given his team’s pitstop form, but also his current pace, having recorded a season-best result last time out.
The seven-time champion beat teammate Leclerc for the first time in a feature race, coming home in fourth in Imola.
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