FIA makes a last-minute rule change just days before the Monaco GP
The FIA has announced a last-minute rule change just 48 hours before the Monaco Grand Prix weekend begins. This famous race will take place this Sunday at the Circuit de Monaco.
In the past, the first two practice sessions were held on Thursday instead of Friday to allow roads to open on Friday. But starting in 2023, Monaco’s schedule was changed to match the rest of the Formula 1 calendar.
Since the track uses public roads in Monte Carlo, this brings some unique challenges for teams and drivers. For example, the pit lane is about half the size of other tracks, so team members have to work very close together. This makes it tougher during curfew times when team members aren’t allowed to be at the circuit.
There are two curfew periods: Restricted Period 1 lasts 13 hours and ends 29 hours before the first practice session (FP1), and Restricted Period 2 lasts 14 hours and ends 4 hours before FP1. These rules help stop teams from working around the clock and keep staff from getting too tired.
Because of Monaco’s special setup, the FIA decided to shorten each curfew by three hours. This change only applies to six team members whose job is to prepare tires after the supplier fits them. Teams must tell the FIA who these six people are by email before the curfew starts.
The FIA actually removed curfews completely for the Australian Grand Prix earlier this season due to travel problems linked to conflicts in the Middle East.
There are other new rules for Monaco this year too. The use of “straight mode” — which lets drivers lower their front and rear wings for faster straights — is now banned for safety reasons. The FIA says this mode should only be used where cars aren’t pushing their tires to the limit. Drivers can still use “overtake mode” on the main straight.
Also, the mandatory two-stop rule for this race, introduced last year, has been dropped. Teams tried to use this rule to gain an advantage by having one driver pit early to slow rivals down, helping their teammate gain track position.
So, with these new changes, the Monaco Grand Prix is shaping up to be an exciting and unique weekend!