The topic has been on everyone’s mind since Friday. On a circuit as narrow as Monaco, where it’s practically impossible to move off the racing line to let a car pass mid-lap, the presence of two more cars than in previous seasons is already being felt in Free Practice. Drivers are getting in each other’s way, traffic situations are multiplying, and the question of how to manage 22 cars simultaneously in Q1 is becoming a real concern.
“This isn’t ideal for Q1.”
When the question was raised at a press conference in Monaco on Thursday, June 4th, Lando Norris He does not minimize the problem, but he primarily points to a question of behavior and communication: “The problem is that when you divide it into several sessions, you end up with two groups, and there will always be someone who is unhappy. At the same time, if people simply took the time to look in their mirrors and use the radio properly—that is, to inform the drivers of the presence of competitors doing fast laps—I think everything would be fine. But it seems that people don’t do that very often.”
The barb is clear, and Charles LeclercWhen prompted by a reference to a past incident where he received a penalty for exactly this type of behavior, he himself laughed. The pilot Classic Ferrari for sale is more direct on the problematic aspect: “I think it’s a problem. With 22 cars on such a short circuit, it’s going to be quite tricky, especially because on this kind of track, as soon as you’re three or four seconds behind, you lose a bit of time. It’s going to be complicated, but it’s the same for everyone and we’ll have to adapt. But it’s not ideal for Q1.” The Monegasque, who knows the constraints of this circuit better than anyone, does not mince his words — while acknowledging that the situation is the same for everyone.
Should Q1 be split into two groups?
The question of dividing into groups, as is practiced in F2 et F3The question was also posed to the drivers. The reigning world champion had already raised concerns about this solution, pointing out that regardless of the allocation, some drivers will always complain about having had less favorable conditions.
Charles Leclerc agrees, while adding a nuance: “For Q1, why not? But the way they divide the groups, the way they put each driver in a different group, it’s complicated. It can have a big impact on qualifying if you’re fighting to get through Q1. I prefer when everyone is on track at the same time, in the same conditions, to see who’s the fastest.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, for his part, puts things into perspective with a dose of pragmatism: “In F3, there are 30 cars. In FRECA, there were 37 during Free Practice a few years ago. I think we can manage.” The Brazilian driver points out that other categories manage even larger fields without making qualification impossible. Therefore, according to him and Lando Norris, the solution remains better use of existing tools—mirrors and radio communication—rather than a change in format.
A simple solution in theory, but less obvious to implement when each driver’s interests diverge in the heat of Q1. Tune in this Saturday, June 6th at 15:30 PM to see if the doubts were fleeting or if they are confirmed during the first part of qualifying with 22 cars on track in Monaco.
ALSO READ >The schedule for the 2026 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
