The Monaco Grand Prix created a unique situation on the streets of Monte Carlo after Formula 1 created a unique rule for this year’s race.
Last season’s Monaco Grand Prix was one of the least eventful races in Formula 1 history.
After Sergio Perez crashed into both Haas cars on the opening lap, it brought out a red flag that allowed every other driver to make their mandatory pit stop.
What followed was the first and only race in F1 history where the top 10 drivers finished in the same order that they started.
This year, Formula 1 tried to introduce a new rule to avoid the same thing happening again, with each driver mandated to pit twice to use three different sets of tyres, but only two compounds.
While this created some interesting tactical choices from the teams, Martin Brundle and David Croft weren’t impressed by what they saw.
READ MORE: The most successful teams and engine manufacturers at the Monaco GP

Martin Brundle ‘not liking’ F1’s new ruleset for the Monaco Grand Prix
Brundle and Croft were commentating for Sky Sports F1 (25/5 2:31 pm) and halfway through the race on lap 27, the former F1 driver said: “Yeah, I’m not liking it,” to which his co-commentator replied: “The team game?”
Brundle responded: “These regulations, I’m not liking it,” and Croft continued: “Well, we had such high hopes for them.”
The Sky Sports commentator explained: “We did. Well, let’s give it time, but I don’t want to be seeing drivers all the way through the field playing a game.
“This is about excellence, this is about the highest level of motorsport and I don’t want to see so many drivers going slowly.”
Croft replied: “Well, I’m with you on that one. Monaco has its usual challenges, cars wide, streets narrow, the tyres need managing as well. You need to be patient but you need to try and force things.
“If you want something to happen, you’ve got to try something and once again they’ve found a way to engineer the fun out of the race.
Brundle concluded: “I think they should have said you must take one pit stop in the first half of the race, or the first part of the race.”
READ MORE: The most successful drivers at the Formula 1 Monaco GP of all time
F1 fans have their say on Martin Brundle’s opinion on the Monaco Grand Prix
It’s safe to say that the tactical genius of the Racing Bulls team and Williams were two of the only bright spots in the race and contributed to a rather dull event in Monaco.
One fan explained: “Brundle now saying how it is. The midfield slowing the field down. It’s not what we want to see. The mandatory 2 stop is a flawed rule, teams and drivers are too clever and will manipulate the rules. So much so it’s made the race slower and not any more entertaining than before.”
Another commented on X: “As I write this, Martin Brundle is questioning the new rules for this year’s F1 race on the telecast, so even those near the top know that something different needs to be done. Required pit stops won’t cut it.”
A further fan reacted and said: “Glad Martin Brundle has said it now but this rule change always felt a bit unethical and artificial.”
“Martin Brundle is the only one bringing the appropriate energy to this,” one viewer agreed and another said: “These new Monaco regs do not work at all, I agree with Brundle.”
However, not everyone agreed, with one comment reading: “Brundle complaining about these regulations but from a spectator perspective, this is the most interesting (dry) Monaco GP in years. If you’re going to keep this track on the calendar, which you should, you need a bit of novelty. Otherwise, just scrap the race and do a time trial.”
Max Verstappen didn’t have an easy qualifying session but was in the hot seat in the closing stages of the race having delayed his final stop.
He backed Lando Norris into Charles Leclerc, allowing Oscar Piastri to catch up to the pack as well.
George Russell’s frustrations being stuck behind the Williams cars for more than 50 laps saw him pick up a drive-through penalty for not handing a position back when overtaking Albon off the track.
It was the perfect summation of a bizarre Monaco Grand Prix where team strategy played a greater role than in any recent race.
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