Russell questions whether Monaco should just become a qualifying event

George Russell questions whether the Monaco Grand Prix should only involve qualifying sessions after being frustrated by other drivers backing up the field in Sunday’s race.

The mandatory two-stop rules that were introduced this year meant some teams manipulated the pace with one of their cars by holding up the field behind and creating a gap big enough for the lead car to stop twice and remain ahead. Both Racing Bulls and Williams pulled off such a strategy to score double points, and with Russell limited to 11th after being held up behind he suggested making the event solely about qualifying.

“We definitely need to have a real think about what the solution is here in Monaco,” Russell said. “I appreciate trying something this year for two stops. Clearly, it did not work at all.

“For all of the drivers, qualifying is the most exhilarating moment of the weekend. Do we accept that there should be no race? And it's a qualifying race. You do one on Saturday, one on Sunday. And the guy who qualifies pole gets some points. He gets a little trophy. And the one on Sunday gets some more points.

“Because that's what we love most. I think that's what you guys enjoy watching the most. And 99 percent of the other people in Monaco are here sipping champagne on the yacht, so they don't really care.”

Russell ended up 11th despite overtaking Alex Albon by cutting the Nouvelle Chicane and staying ahead, earning a drive-through penalty. While he didn't expect such a harsh punishment, he says his final race result was still improved by the approach.

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“We had planned with Kimi [Antonelli] and I to basically do the same strategy as what VCARB and Williams implemented with the two drivers," he said. "But ultimately, qualifying 14th and 15th, there is nothing you can do. You pit on lap one, we'd have finished nowhere. You go long, we finish nowhere.

“Ironically, I finished in a higher position by doing my maneuver with Alex than I would have done if I hadn't. So that in itself proves the system's pretty flawed.

“Was a little bit surprised [the penalty was so big], but I've got to be honest, I didn't really care because I was out of the points. I didn't get the chance yesterday to enjoy Monaco. I just said, 'Screw it, I want to enjoy Monaco. I want to enjoy driving this track full gas.' It's one of the best circuits in the world, and that's what I did.

“The last 25 laps was the most fun I've had all weekend. Pretty exhilarating. I was really pushing my limits, testing myself. And as I said, ironically, if I didn't do this, I would have finished maybe 15th or 16th.”

Although not suggesting serious changes to Monaco, Max Verstappen agreed with Russell that the pit stop rules can only have limited value.

“You can't race here,” Verstappen told Sky Sports. “It doesn't matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end, I was in the lead, my tires were completely gone and you still can't pass.

“Nowadays with an F1 car, you can just [about] pass an F2 car around here. I get it, but I don't think it's worked. We were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we have to install bits on the car and maybe you can throw bananas around! Slippery surface!”