Who slept the worst last night: Frederic Vasseur

The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix was one that left no one cold. On my Facebook page , Formula 1 inside with Christian Nimmervoll, one user wrote on Sunday evening: "Before the race, I approved of the idea of ​​two mandatory pit stops. But the way the race unfolded was a disaster for the sport."

A fairly representative comment among many that add up to a devastating overall assessment. Another fan wrote that he felt "rather ripped off" by Formula 1; another used the words "farce" and "catastrophic," and one post even said: "I've been watching Formula 1 for 29 years, but this was really unbearable." At least the verdict of the hardcore fans seems to be clear.

Whether this was also the case for the casual viewers often referred to as "Netflix fans" is much more difficult to determine. This is the target group that doesn't seek out social media platforms for exchange of views immediately after the awards ceremony, but rather turns off the television and probably won't think about Formula 1 again until Saturday's qualifying in Barcelona at the earliest.

After all: It was exciting until the end

I'm torn. As a self-proclaimed traditionalist, socialized with Formula 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I find it deeply uneasy when the sporting decisions of a Grand Prix involve as much chance as the roulette table in Monaco's legendary casino.

And it makes me even more uncomfortable when, due to the de facto overtaking ban on the winding streets of Monte Carlo, teammates suddenly resort to dirty tricks to slow down their opponents and maximize their own results. Not illegal, mind you, but dirty in the sporting and moral sense.

On the other hand, it cannot be denied that – and this was different from many previous Monaco Grands Prix – there was a certain tension right up until the penultimate lap. It was clear to any reasonably knowledgeable spectator that Max Verstappen was only staying out that long in hopes of receiving the gift of a late red flag, which would almost certainly have secured him the win. But a red flag like that can happen at any time in Monaco, which is why Lando Norris couldn't really be sure of his chances until Verstappen pitted on lap 77 of 78. Suspense right up until the very end. Exactly what rights holder Liberty Media wanted.

A Grand Prix with some highlights

Admittedly, it was an afternoon on the sunny Côte d'Azur that had its moments. For example, Gabriel Bortoleto's cheeky maneuver in the Loews hairpin (now actually called Fairmont), passing Kimi Antonelli on the outside on the very first lap – and the even cheekier counterattack by the Italian in the Mercedes in the Portier corner a few meters further on, which ended with Bortoleto's Sauber car crashing into the barrier.

A fight that immediately brought back memories of 1998, when my fellow countryman Alexander Wurz, who was supposedly the "next big thing" in Formula 1 for at least a few weeks, took on the great Michael Schumacher at the same venue. A duel that ultimately didn't lead to Wurz's breakthrough, but ended with a total write-off at the tunnel exit.

Later, at least for a while, it looked as if Isack Hadjar could cause a big surprise, as the Racing Bulls junior had already completed his two mandatory stops and, thanks to the active support of his teammate Liam Lawson , was still in sixth place, even though everyone in front of him had just made a change.

The final phase, when Verstappen, in the lead on completely worn tires, held off first Norris and then Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri , may have looked spectacular from the outside, but in reality it was a mere procession. We've known since the epic Senna-Mansell finish in 1992 that you can't overtake anyone in Monaco who doesn't want to be overtaken, at least that's what I know today. It still makes my heart race when I watch the old videos from that time.

Two stops in Monaco: Who actually had the idea?

Sometime early Monday morning, I asked myself who actually came up with the idea of ​​the special Monaco rule, and who must have slept pretty badly last night because things didn't quite work out as planned.

The introduction of the Monaco Special Rule was decided at a meeting of the Formula 1 Commission in February 2025. Although the proposal still had to be approved by committees such as the FIA's Sporting Advisory Committee (SAC) and the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC), the Commission essentially set the course.

At the beginning of the February meeting, Formula 1 CEOStefano Domenicali continued previous discussions about what could be done in Monaco in the future to finally make the Sunday race more exciting, in addition to Saturday's qualifying. He also brought back the old suggestion of at least considering mandatory pit stops.

At one point there was talk about whether the drivers could simply be required to use all three rubber compounds in the race - until Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur came up with the idea of ​​simply introducing two mandatory pit stops instead, each with an equally mandatory tire change.

Christian Horner was the first to agree with Vasseur's proposal, and the SAC then only clarified the question of whether it would be wiser to prescribe three tyre compounds or two pit stops, and how the new rule would be applied if it were to rain and it would be difficult to force the drivers to use the third rubber compound, slicks, on wet asphalt.

Just to avoid any misunderstandings: Vasseur is certainly not the one who pushed the rule through. That was the entire Commission, and also the World Council, which ultimately could have vetoed it but didn't. But as the driving force behind the decisive meeting, Vasseur practically makes it onto the cover of this column today.

What else might worry Vasseur

Especially since there are many other reasons why Vasseur might not have slept so well last night. Leclerc's second place doesn't look so bad at first glance. But Monaco is Monaco, with its own rules, and Leclerc describes the reality like this: "On tracks like this, with so many bumps and curbs, our car works quite well. That helps. But unfortunately, it will only help us on a track as extreme as this one."

After eight of the 24 race weekends in 2025, Leclerc is in fifth place in the Drivers' Championship with 79 points, far behind championship leader Oscar Piastri (161). And the Constructors' Championship is also a distant prospect for Ferrari: McLaren leads with a whopping 319 points, and behind them, Mercedes (147), Red Bull (143), and Ferrari (142) are battling for second place at best.

You don't have to be a genius to realize that the first World Championship since 2007 (Kimi Räikkönen) or 2008 (constructors only) is unlikely to happen - and that is ultimately a disappointment given the enormous expectations that prevail in Italy after the spectacular signing of Lewis Hamilton .

At the end of 2024, Ferrari actually seemed to be on the right track, following McLaren's lead and poised to return to the fast lane of Formula 1. But then the engineers in Maranello came up with the idea of ​​redesigning an otherwise functional technical concept and, among other things, completely revamping the suspension. The result is well known.

And it doesn't take a genius to guess that things could get tough for Vasseur at some point if he doesn't manage to turn things around by 2026, when the new regulations come into effect. Building success takes time in Formula 1. But the fact that, after years of Mercedes and Red Bull dominance, it's now McLaren, not Ferrari, can't possibly please John Elkann, the strong man at Ferrari.

Monaco and Ferrari are two great myths in Formula 1. Both are currently experiencing problems. And I'm sure I'm not the only ardent supporter of Grand Prix racing who hopes both will be sorted out soon. But it seems to me that both could be quite complex undertakings. And both could take quite a while...

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Note: It is in the nature of things that this column reflects my subjective perception. Anyone who disagrees is welcome to discuss it with me on my Facebook page "Formula 1 inside with Christian Nimmervoll." There, you won't primarily find breaking news from the Grand Prix circuit, but rather strictly subjective and sometimes quite biting assessments of the most important developments behind the scenes in Formula 1.