“I should’ve brought my pillow,” said Max Verstappen after the 2024 F1 Monaco GP that he started in P6, ran in P6, and ultimately finished in P6. That is the sort of resentment that has settled into the drivers and fans’ opinion of the Grand Prix, once referred to as the ‘Crowned Jewel’ of Formula 1. Unfortunately, this sentiment is permeating the next generation of drivers, including Kimi Antonelli.
The reason behind that resentment is the lack of overtaking opportunities. Being a street circuit, the 3.3-kilometer-long track runs around Monte Carlo, showcasing the most picturesque localities of the Principality. Unfortunately, the street track is too narrow for the modern F1 cars to run abreast.
This leads to drivers either staying put and not mounting an overtake on the car in front, or taking the risk of crashing and ending their race and possibly their opponent’s. Most adopt the conservative approach to save the car as well as the repair costs in the era of the budget cap.
Unfortunately, this approach cost the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli dearly. The Silver Arrows were stuck in P11 and P12, behind the Williams of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz in P9 and P10, respectively, for the majority of the race.
A boring race to forget for Mercedes
Ultimately, Antonelli had to drop out of his position to complete his second pit stop. Resultantly, he finished last among those to cross the chequered flag in P18.
“It was not the most exciting of the races. Finishing two laps down is not what you want. I was just trying to do the best for the team,” Antonelli said in the print media pen after the F1 Monaco GP.
“I could have actually fell asleep, to be honest,” Antonelli confessed in his brutally honest opinion of the revamped Monaco GP.
New Monaco GP format fails to impress Kimi Antonelli
Owing to the lack of overtaking opportunities, much of the excitement for the Monaco GP ends after the qualifying. The Saturday session decides the starting grid for Sunday, which goes majorly unchanged until the chequered flag.
As this went on for years, the FIA and F1 realized the need to find a solution for fan engagement. While there wasn’t much they could do to widen the track and aid overtakes, the answer lay elsewhere.
The ruling bodies ultimately decided to make it a two-stop mandatory race. While it still wouldn’t aid overtakes, different tire strategies would certainly add an extra bit of spice.
Kimi Antonelli clearly isn’t among those who enjoyed the move. Unfortunately, it did not do much to change the top-3 lineup from the starting grid either.
In times where traditional tracks are bidding adieu to F1 to make space for newer ones, will Monaco continue to hold its own? Liberty Media certainly has a big decision to make, especially when it’s receiving interest from multiple nations.
Kimi Antonelli on first lap incident with Gabriel Bortoleto at F1 Monaco GP
After Gabriel Bortoleto had swept around the outside of the Italian into the hairpin on the opening lap, Antonelli launched a big move into turn 8 in response. He got up the inside and made a clean move.
Gabriel Bortoleto ended up in the tyre barrier due to the narrow confines of Monaco. The Brazilian was not happy.
On the other hand, Antonelli felt it was fair game.
“I think it was an aggressive move, but at the end of the day, I didn’t touch him.
“Also, at the apex, I was ahead.
“Of course, you don’t want to see him in the wall. My intention was not to put him in the wall.
“But at the end of the day, I didn’t touch him. I tried my best to give him as much space as possible.
“Of course, Monaco is very tight, and it can happen.
“There was nothing outstanding or dirty on that side. It was, of course, an aggressive move. As I said before, my intention was just to overtake.
“Of course, it’s not nice to see someone in the wall, but at the same time, it’s not like Miami that I got touched. Here, I completely didn’t touch him.”
