GDPA chairman proposes track changes to fix boring Monaco GP, Albon treats Russell to dinner after Monaco clash, and other big updates

GDPA chairman proposes track changes to fix boring Monaco GP

GPDA chairman Alex Wurz has proposed three changes to the Monaco Grand Prix layout after another dull race was made worse by a new two-stop rule that encouraged teams to drive slowly and back up the field. He suggested moving the Nouvelle chicane further down the road to make it harder to defend and increase overtaking chances. Wurz also proposed altering the Rascasse apex by a few meters to open up the entry for divebomb moves, forcing drivers to either defend or leave space. Lastly, he recommended widening the Loews hairpin by over two meters, which would make overtaking attempts more feasible without changing the corner’s character.

Click here to read the full article by Sam Cooper (planetf1.com)

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Albon treats Russell to dinner after Monaco clash

Alex Albon bought George Russell dinner after their tough fight during the Monaco race. Russell said Albon was driving badly and cut a corner to pass him, even though he knew he would get a penalty. Williams told Albon and Carlos Sainz to take turns slowing down to keep their positions during pit stops, which made Russell angry. Williams’ boss apologized to Mercedes because they had to use this tactic, and Mercedes understood it was because of Red Bull’s actions.

Click here to read the full article by Lewis Larkam (crash.net)

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Behind Monaco’s tactical controversy

The chaotic team tactics at the Monaco Grand Prix were not random gambles but a planned strategy that used a second car as a roadblock to create gaps for the lead driver’s pit stops. Racing Bulls had Liam Lawson slow the pack, which let Isack Hadjar pit with a gap, while Lawson gave up his own race chances to earn more points for the team. This tactic led Williams and Mercedes to employ similar moves, which upset rivals and fans who believed the race was manipulated and less about real racing. Despite the controversy, Racing Bulls’ team principal, Laurent Mekies, argued the strategy brought more excitement and variety to Monaco than last year’s dull race under old rules.

Click here to read the full article by Jon Noble (the-race.com)

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F1 adds PepsiCo to growing sponsorship portfolio

F1 made a new deal with PepsiCo that will last until 2030. PepsiCo’s Sting Energy will be the official energy drink, Gatorade will support the F1 Sprint races, and Doritos will be the official snack. Fans can expect to see these products more frequently at F1 events in the coming years. F1’s boss, Stefano Domenicali, said this partnership will bring fun and new fans to the sport.

Click here to read the full article at racingnews365.com

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What happened between Hamilton and his engineer?

Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari’s radio messages “weren’t that clear” after a tense race at Monaco, where he had problems talking with engineer Riccardo Adami. The team made a mistake regarding Verstappen, which resulted in Hamilton receiving a penalty and being forced to stay behind slower cars, ultimately losing time to his teammate, Leclerc. During the race, Hamilton asked questions on the radio but didn’t get good answers, and after the race, he asked if Adami was upset with him but got no reply. Ferrari’s boss said there was no tension, but Hamilton was clearly frustrated and had a hard time with the car all weekend.

Click here to read the full article by Stuart Codling & Emily Selleck (motorsport.com)