Drivers discussed revised Monaco Qualifying format

Drivers discussed the introduction of a revised qualifying format for the Monaco Grand Prix during their briefing on Friday evening.

Monaco is the shortest and slowest circuit on the F1 calendar and has concessions within the regulations regarding race length as a result.

With space at a premium around the historic venue, marshals are well drilled in quickly recovering cars that stop out on track.

However, that still typically requires an interruption of some sort, which in Qualifying can have a significant impact on a driver’s prospects.

With overtaking all but impossible, the outcome of Qualifying more often than not is the outcome of the race.

Encountering traffic or incidents, therefore, comes with a high penalty.

To cover that risk, junior categories employ a split system that sees only half the field on track at any one time in Qualifying.

Bringing that concept into F1 was discussed in Friday’s Drivers’ Briefing.

“We had that in F2 when I was last here; makes traffic much better,” said Oscar Piastri.

“But I think with 20 cars, it’s not too bad.

“We even saw at the end with Lando, with 10 cars on track, it’s still an issue.

“I don’t mind either way, to be honest.”

Norris was more committal in his assessment, suggesting there’s no need to change from the current three-part knock-out format.

“They don’t need to [change it], if everyone just does their job and get out the way, they shouldn’t need to – although it didn’t happen today.

“But it’s really not that difficult, honestly.”

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, holds the opposing view.

“I think with these wide cars and everything, it’s too dangerous,” he said.

“We should find a way to split into 10 cars, the qualifying, one [car] each, and I’m pretty sure that would facilitate all the mess that we saw in Qualifying 1.”

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella, who was race engineer for Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, suggests the business of qualifying adds to the uniqueness of the event.

“This kind of change requires quite a bit of consideration,” he said of the split session concept.

“We obviously find Qualifying in Monaco stressful, there’s plenty of challenges.

“But for me, now and even as a race engineer, I quite enjoy this… you’re going to have an advantage if you do a good job.

“Sometimes you have a penalty like we have today with Lando, but I think as long as it’s safe, I think it adds to the racing, to the competition, so I’m happy with that.”