Formula 1 has abandoned plans to repeat its one-off Monaco Grand Prix pit stop rules following last year’s controversy.
With overtaking on the streets of Monte Carlo almost impossible, the FIA made it mandatory last year to use three sets of tires, forcing teams to adopt a two-stop strategy and hopefully unlocking more strategic options and hazards.
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But the idea didn’t have the desired effect up front, as teams such as Bulls and Williams, which closely combined two cars, were able to take advantage of the rule by backing up the field with one car, creating a pit window for the car in front.
While these tactics did succeed in creating more buzz around the historic race, they also left drivers unsettled as they were forced to slow down more than four seconds per lap in order for their teams to gain an advantage.
However, the rule changes were initially retained in the 2026 Sporting Code following an electronic vote by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
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F1’s two-race plan backfired as McLaren’s Lando Norris won his first Monaco Grand Prix.
F1’s two-race plan backfired as McLaren’s Lando Norris won his first Monaco Grand Prix.
Williams’ James Vowles, who is the team principal for one of the teams, said he was surprised to find out the one-off rule changes would be back in 2026, saying the strategy made him “most uncomfortable. I like to go out there and go for points on merit rather than game the system to achieve that.”
However, FIA single-seater racing director Nikolas Tombazis told Motorsport.com last year that the adjustment had not yet been confirmed and after further discussions the plan has now been completely abandoned. In the latest version of the 2026 Sporting Rules approved by the WMSC, the one-off provisions related to the use of Monaco tires have been completely deleted from Section B.
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An extra minute added in the third quarter
As part of the latest series of improvements, the FIA WMSC also voted to approve a change to add an extra minute to the third quarter, with the final penalty shootout between the remaining 10 cars now lasting 13 minutes instead of 12 minutes.
As Cadillac becomes part of F1’s 11th team, six cars will be eliminated from Q1 and Q2 instead of five. However, with 22 cars on the entry list, this provision has always been part of the regulations, so this in itself does not require any regulatory changes.
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