George Russell predicts Monaco GP tactics shake-up: ‘You can’t back everyone up anymore’
“In the pasꦦt, it was solely about qualifying and you could manage the gaps to the cars behind, you could back everybody up and just keep it tight.”

George Russell expects the new two-stop strategy rule will have a significant impact on the tactics deployed by teams at this weekend’s F1 Monaco Grand Prix.
To spi𓃲ce up the show, F1 announced that all drivers must complete two mandatory pit stops during the 78-lap race on Sunday in Monte Carlo.
Due to the lack of overtaking opportunities in the principality, F1 hopes that forcing drivers to make a second pit stop could make the race more entert𝔉aining.
In the 2024 race, race winner 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc didn’t have to make a pit s🀅top after completing his t♕yre change under the early red flag.
This will be avoided 🍌this year due to all 20 drivers being forced to make two stops.
Speaking to media, including , on Thursday in Monaco, Russell explained why the new ruling could m💝ake race pace more important than in previous years.
“We are excited for this weekend ﷽because we know quali has been a strengt🍸h,” Russell said.
“We have been within a tenth of pole on so many occasions, yet to fully convert it. This two-stop strategy is going to be reꦉally inte⭕resting to see how it plans out.
“In the past, it was solely about qualifying and you could manage the gaps to the cars behind, you could back everybody up and just keep it tight. I don’t think that’s going to be🎃 the case this week💧end.
“Race pace isn’t meaningless and we know that h🍰asn’t been a stre♚ngth. A little bit of mixed feelings.”
Russell unsure of F1 pecking order
Monaco is unique as it’s made up of just𝄹 slo𝓀w-speed corners.
Over the years, Ferrari have been the🐲 team♚ to beat in Monaco.
Leclerc took pole in 2021 and should have won the race in 2022 had it not been for poor strat🎃egy.
Leclerc finally got redemption in 2024, winning t♔he race from pole.
However, with the SF-25 struggling in low-spee🍸d corners this year, Russell is unsure which team will be best this weeken𒊎d.
“I think we’ve been probably on average the third-best team this season but b🐻eing the third-best team has often found ourselves on the podium or qualifying in the top three so it’s not quit🐓e as straightforward as it was in the past,” Russell explained.
“Red Bull only have Max performing at the moment. Lando and Oscar are both ♛there in ꦑthe race but sometimes their quali performance is a bit inconsistent.
“Equally, Ferrari so♔metimes have better races or worse races. They were pretty good at Imola in race pace, they were pretty good in Jeddah as well but now we’re in Monaco where they’ve been the kings of in the past but maybe their new car isn’t as suited. Right now, we’re not too sure.”

With a sharp eye ꦰfor F1’s c𒊎ontroversies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.