Motorsports
Alonso and two solutions to increase excitement at the Monaco Grand Prix
Sunday’s race is F1 Monaco Grand Prix There were few highlights. The only thing that created uncertainty was a touch on the first lap and a few accidents. The race was a close one from there. When you drive such a big and heavy car on such a small circuit, overtaking is impossible. And because of that, Fernando Alonso He mentioned several improvements that could be made to make the next edition of the world’s most iconic race more appealing.
Tire change under red flag
in Monaco This is usually the case, and at least it is accepted, because there is usually tension around the strategy and the possibility of a “safety car” or if it rains. But this Sunday no water appeared, only a virtual safety car and the race did not move. And the main damage to the show had already been done, precisely because the red flag came out on the first lap.
The race had to be stopped on the first lap so that the drivers could make the mandatory tire change allowed by the regulations at that moment. Therefore, the majority chose not to stop. For example, the first four (Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Norris) I went all the way on hard rubber and completed 78 laps on that rubber, and it didn’t matter that the driver who had changed tires was coming up behind me.
No matter how much of a difference there was in speed or grip, it was impossible to overtake, and the usual tension that fans felt was gone. Monaco When a car goes into the pits and tries to attack on the exit lap while its rival does the same, stops and has to restart in front. This was not seen. The only morbid question that exists is whether someone made a mistake and in Monaco they pay for it at the wall.
that’s why, Fernando Alonso He believes the rule allowing tyre changes under red flags should be reviewed. At an event like Monaco, all the crumbs from Sunday’s test are taken away.
“When the red flag comes out and you change tyres and head to the finish line… the only interesting thing about the Monaco race is that you have to make a pit stop. This has taken the excitement out of the pit stops and will probably open up discussions again about whether or not you can’t change tyres when the red flag comes out because there are certain circuits where that puts the race in jeopardy.”he stated before international media outlets, among them MD.
Any changes to Sunday’s race? Alonso bets on Saturday
Fernando Alonso said of Sunday’s events, beyond the red flags and the proposed tyre changes, “I think it’s fine the way it is”. The Spaniard believes part of Monaco’s appeal is that Saturday is the most important test. For this reason, he believes there is a need to build excitement for Saturday’s classification and prevent many drivers’ fast laps from being ruined by traffic jams, as happened to Fernando and “Checo” this time.
“I love Monaco because it’s Monaco and it’s a Saturday, so we prepare all the free practice for that one lap. But unfortunately with these cars with all this downforce, traffic is a bigger problem.” If I had to change something about Monaco, it wouldn’t be Sunday. Here’s what Sunday in Monaco looks like: “But we should all be able to come back on Saturday (without traffic), but we’re not, because there’s a lot of traffic… We have to be sure that the magic of Saturday in qualifying is still there.”.
“If I had to change something about Monaco, it wouldn’t be Sunday. Sunday in Monaco is what it is. But we can all get back on Saturday.”
In this sense, Alonso did not deny that splitting the classification into two different groups to reduce traffic could be a solution, while another option would be to go with the previous format of one lap for each car, which would allow everyone to have a chance on a free track and allow the fans to enjoy the lap attempts of all the protagonists.
“The worst car for Monaco”
“I think the car here was more important. We went for more aerodynamic grip and more performance, which made the car more difficult for everyone to drive.” “And in our case we did not get the maximum performance. We have learned a lot from a difficult weekend and hopefully next weekend will be better,” Fernando Alonso said of his current F1 team.
“The current car is the worst for Monaco, it’s bigger, it’s heavier… “In F2 you need enough overtaking options. And the tyres are too hard for Monaco. We did the whole race on hard and soft. It’s also a question of racing. But it is what it is. Monaco has to accept that today is Saturday, everything is based on Saturday. But it’s also part of the magic of Monaco, coming back on Saturday. And we didn’t do a good enough job in qualifying,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
I am a writer at Sportish, where I mainly cover sports news. I’ve also written for The Guardian and ESPN Brasil, and my work has been featured on NBC Sports, SI.com and more. Before working in journalism, I was an athlete: I played football for Colgate University and competed in the US Open Cross Country Championships.
The FIA has officially confirmed a significant increase in the cost of filing protests, appeals and requests for review in Formula 1 from the 2026 season. According to the new regulations, the contribution fee will increase from 2,000 Euros to 20,000 Euros and will be included in the teams’ budget limit.
The decision follows a wave of criticism after Red Bull made several protests against Mercedes driver George Russell during the 2025 season. After the Miami and Canadian Grand Prix both cases were dismissed by the stewards but caused delays and chaos in the paddock.
Russell and McLaren management have repeatedly emphasized that the upfront deposit is too low for teams with multimillion-dollar budgets. In their view, this encouraged speculative and tactical protests.
The FIA says the new rules retain the right to appeal in the case of genuine infringements, but significantly increase financial liability for false complaints. This is expected to reduce the number of post-race disputes and make the protest procedure more balanced.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Mercedes driver George Russell said he was sincerely pleased with Lando Norris’ first Formula 1 championship, which he won in Abu Dhabi on the final stage of the season. According to Russell, he may have been jealous of his compatriot’s success at a younger age, but his views have now changed.
Norris became world champion, just two points ahead of Max Verstappen, despite a strong comeback from the Red Bull driver, who was looking to capture his fifth consecutive title.
Russell and Norris have known each other well since the teenage series; In particular, they fought for the Formula 2 championship won by Russell in 2018. Both made their Formula 1 debuts in 2019, but it was Norris who was first to top the championship.
Russell emphasized that he did not feel any jealousy after the McLaren driver’s victory.
“I’m very happy for him. Maybe when I was younger and less mature, I would have been jealous of my rival and compatriot winning the championship.
But as you get older, you realize how difficult it is to maintain a high level in this sport.”
Both Britons have become leaders of their teams over the years; Russell is at Mercedes, Norris is at McLaren. At the same time, while the Brackley team has been in decline in recent seasons, it was McLaren who were able to offer a car that could fight for the championship before Mercedes.
Russell also noted the importance of not missing a rare chance to compete for the championship and praised Norris for withstanding the pressure.
“We never know when our chance will come. I’m sure he didn’t know that opportunity would come this year.”
He showed an incredible performance, especially in the second half of the season. I’m happy for him, he deserves it,” Russell concluded.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
Max Verstappen received his fifth consecutive Formula 1 Driver of the Year award despite being one step away from his fifth consecutive championship title in the 2025 season.
All but four riders participated in the anonymous survey, traditionally conducted among peloton pilots. According to the results, the Red Bull driver was ahead of the new world champion Lando Norris.
Drivers compiled their own top 10 using the standard Formula 1 points system. Verstappen secured first place with 25 points in six different votes.
Norris, who won his first championship after a difficult season, came second in the referee voting for the second time in a row.
McLaren secured the drivers’ title by enduring serious pressure from Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri in one of the most interesting seasons of recent years.
Third in the rankings was George Russell, up one place from last year. The Mercedes driver had a strong season, claiming two wins and seven podium finishes.
Piastri improved his position by one place and finished fourth, although his championship ambitions diminished in the autumn. At one point in the season the Australian was 34 points ahead of his rivals.
Rounding out the top 5 was Charles Leclerc, who dropped two places despite getting the most out of the Ferrari SF-25. The Monegasque achieved seven podiums and the Scuderia finished the season in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Carlos Sainz retained sixth place after an impressive recovery for Williams. Despite a difficult start for Grovey, the Spaniard managed to reach the podium twice in the second half of the season.
Fernando Alonso rose two places to seventh with his strong performance behind the wheel of the Aston Martin AMR25.
The eighth place was taken by Alex Albon, who had his best season at Williams. The top ten is rounded out by newcomers Oliver Berman and Isak Hajjar, who are known for their strong debut seasons.
It is noteworthy that Lewis Hamilton was not included in the voting for the first time since the beginning of this rating, which reflects the British pilot’s difficult first season with Ferrari.
Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda also did not participate in the survey.
Source: Sport UA
Ruth Waterhouse is an author and sports journalist who writes for Sportish. She is known for her coverage of various sports events and her insightful analysis of sports-related news. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, she has become a respected voice in the sports community.
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