Aston Martin reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne has labelled the level of racing at the Monaco Grand Prix as “boring,” as Formula 1 prepares to make its annual jaunt to the principality.
Monaco is preparing to host the event – one of the showpieces on the F1 calendar – for the 82nd time this weekend, amid continuing opinion that the sport has outgrown the famed street circuit.
Often regarded as the supreme test of a racing driver’s skill, Monaco was once likened to “riding a bicycle around your living room” by Nelson Piquet.
Since the Brazilian’s heyday, F1 cars have grown substantially in size, making the rare opportunities to overtake even less, heaping further emphasis on qualifying performance and race strategy.
Speaking to Motorsport Week before the Monaco E-Prix earlier this month, Vandoorne, who races for Maserati MSG Racing in Formula E, made the comparisons between the racing seen in F1 and the all-electric championship.
“This [Monaco] really has transformed into the perfect race for us because I think Formula 1 around here is boring, there’s no overtaking,” he said.
“Formula E around here is just perfect. It’s the right amount of overtaking, it’s the perfect size track for us. And we just love racing around here.
“It’s good for the championship and obviously we all want it to succeed, to become bigger, better, faster cars which looks like will be there for GEN4 [the next breed of FE cars]. We’re just very excited.”
Are other series the key to Monaco’s relevance in motor racing?
There has perhaps been a slight split in opinion on the future of the Monaco Grand Prix on the F1 calendar between the older and newer generation of fans.
Teams will put additional focus into its performances over one lap, in a bid to maximise its qualifying result to ensure a positive race.
With continuing calls to find ways of increasing entertainment value at Monaco, a new element has been added this year.
In a bid to spice up the level of entertainment, this year the FIA has introduced a mandatory minimum of two pit stops in the Grand Prix.
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