Bending the Rules: Monaco’s New Twist and Other Quirks Shaping F1 Tracks

Monaco’s unique pit spot rules

Hot on everyone’s mind this week is the brand new Monaco-specific rule that will lead to multiple pit stops during the race. The FIA World Motor Sport Council has introduced a new, Monaco-only rule that will have teams looking at two pit stops during the race. Typically, drivers must use at least two different tire compounds during any given race (e.g. a hard and a medium set). But in Monaco, they will need to use three sets of tires, minimum (e.g. two hards and a medium). So unless a red flag throws a wrench in things, everyone will need two trips down the pit lane instead of the usual one-stopper strategies we often see here.

This rule has been introduced because, despite the circuit’s rich history and prestige, lately racing at the Monaco Grand Prix has become somewhat uneventful. Things reached an extreme last year when Sergio Perez collided with Kevin Magnssen and Nico Hulkenberg, triggering a red flag on the opening lap of the race. The remaining field took the opportunity to change their tires before lining back up in their original order and, as the track is fairly easy on tires, most were able to survive the whopping 76 laps left on one set of wheels. With only six drivers making any additional pit stops and just four overtakes in total, the final standings were essentially set from the start.

The narrow, winding roads of Monte Carlo pose a tricky problem, as F1 cars have become steadily larger over time. At two meters in width, right now they are just too cumbersome for a track that averages just nine meters wide (for reference, permanent tracks must be at least 12 meters wide at all points). Given the limited ability to pass on track, well-timed pit-stops and precise undercuts and overcuts are the bread and butter of the strategy department here. And in forcing an additional tire swap, the FIA is hoping to bring back some of the thrill and strategic options to the historic track.

Yet this is far from the first time that rules have been bent at Monaco. As a legacy track, several exceptions have been made to keep it on the calendar. For example, with its 3.337 kilometer length, it is technically too short to be used for F1 competitions by today’s rules, which require tracks to be at least 3.5 kilometers long. And until 2022, Monaco typically held free practice on Thursday, with a Friday off to celebrate Ascension Day. But while the Monte Carlo weekend may be filled with irregularities, it is far from the only grand prix with its own set of rules.

Spa’s special cooldown laps

Where the Circuit de Monaco should be too short by today’s standards, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps falls on the opposite side of things. At 7.004km, the track for the Belgian Grand Prix is not only the longest one on the calendar, it’s also just four meters over the maximum lap length in the current F1 rule book. Nonetheless, much like Monaco, Spa is an incredibly iconic track, and its legacy makes those four extra meters worth it.

The length of the track does, however, lead to one peculiarity in race procedures. During most races, after crossing the finish line drivers do one last cooldown lap around the entire track, cooling their brakes and driving over the bits of rubber shed during the race–called marbles–to pick them up as they head to parc ferme. But Spa’s exceptionally long track makes doing a full cooldown lap too time-consuming and impractical. Instead, drivers go to parc ferme through the pit lane exit between turns one and two, essentially entering the pit area backwards.

This makes finishing procedures a lot more efficient and keeps things running on time, but is not without its consequences. The short drive to the pit lane exit means that drivers have far less opportunity to pick up marbles than at other tracks. This is a common practice to make sure the car meets the minimum weight requirements at the end of a race, and in Spa teams will usually account for less marbles by adding a bit of extra weight to the car in the form of a ballast.

Mistakes do, however, happen, as George Russell learned the hard way last year. After pulling off a surprise one-stop strategy, the Mercedes driver won the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. But celebrations didn’t last long, as his car was found to be underweight and he was disqualified from the race soon after. One of the contributing factors is thought to be that, by going long on his second set of tires, Russell likely wore away too much rubber. And because of the shorter cooldown lap, he couldn’t pick up enough marbles to compensate. It was a tough pill for the team to swallow, and they will surely remember this next time we visit Belgium.

Saudi Arabia’s strict pit entry

While Monaco and Spa have track-specific quirks for the sake of racing and efficiency, one of the most important reasons that any rules in F1 get adjusted for is safety. Things like where safety barriers are needed, how many people are allowed to be in the paddock and when, and so on, often vary across locations based on the features of each circuit. And one such adjustment is found at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.

The street track at Jeddah is fast, twisty and narrow, and extra care must be taken around it, particularly in places like the pit entry. The usual rules of conduct when going into the pit are that the outside edge of a tire may touch the line dividing the pit entry road and main track, but must never fully cross over onto the main track itself. In Saudi Arabia, that margin is much tighter, and cars have to stay on the inside edge of that dividing line, which the FIA marks in a different color on the track.

This safety precaution keeps cars going into the pit lane and those speeding along the start/finish straight at top speeds well away from each other. Jeddah is the fastest street circuit and second fastest circuit on the F1 calendar, with cars averaging 155 mph (250km/h). At those speeds, the slightest error could be extremely costly, and this is something that stewards do not take lightly. Both Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson learned this when they got reprimands for crossing into the middle of the dividing line twice each during free practice at this year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

All in all, F1 is not afraid to take an extra step and add in a special rule when needed. Whether it is to thrum up on-track action during a race, keep things running in a timely manner, or make sure everyone stays safe, these types of adjustments are an important part of the sport. And as time goes on and new concerns pop up, we will surely see even more track-specific quirks in the ever-evolving nature of Formula 1.