Piastri braces for Monaco mayhem: “Not simple at all”

As the spotlight shifts to Monaco, Oscar Piastri is preparing to face the unique challenge of the iconic street circuit, with a “very complicated” mandatory pitstop strategy set to play a crucial role amid rising competition from rival teams.

After a challenging Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix that saw him slip from Pole to a quiet third place, Piastri is already moving on, turning his attention to this weekend’s historic challenge, however, not before dissecting the first-turn incident and his lack of race pace that cost McLaren a shot at victory in Imola.

“Yeah, I have reviewed it — I think just brake later,” Piastri concluded. 

“That was a pretty simple analysis, but I think it would have been an interesting race, regardless of how Turn 1 went or how Turn 2 went.”

The Australian added: “Red Bull have been putting some upgrades on the car.”

“I think they have been fine in performance, and I think Imola is a circuit that, in terms of layout and speed, is not that dissimilar to Suzuka and Jeddah, which were two tracks that Red Bull were also fast on.

“I think maybe the race pace was a bit of a surprise for us, but the fact that they were quick through the weekend was not a big surprise, so we’ve got to keep working hard. 

“There’s going to be a lot more tracks like that, but I think it’s going to be interesting to see on slower tracks — here’s obviously an exception — but some of the tracks coming up, whether they’re still just as quick.”

Shifting his focus to the circuit in which he scored his third-career podium at in 2024, Piastri is ready to return to the Principality with renewed confidence as he boasts a 13-point lead over his teammate in the Drivers’ Championship.

Declaring “ninety-something per cent” of the Circuit de Monaco as “horrifying”, the chaos of the tight opening run through Sainte Devote alone almost cost Piastri his race after he and Carlos Sainz made contact as the lights went out last year — a moment that underscored just how tentative the Principality can be, especially with the added complexity of this year’s mandatory pitstop requirements.

“I think it’s very complicated now with these two stops,” Piastri said.

“Also, just using three sets of tyres, because if there’s Red Flags like we saw last year, it’s not quite as simple as what it was.

“It’s definitely going to throw a spanner in the works for everyone, but I think if you qualify on pole — unless something goes dramatically wrong still — it’s going to be hard to be beaten. 

“So, I think you can roll the dice a bit more, but there’s a lot of strategic elements involved.”

To shake up strategy and add unpredictability to the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIA has mandated that all drivers are now required to make at least two pitstops across the 78-lap spectacle, with a minimum of three different sets of tyres across at least two different compounds to be used, regardless of weather conditions.

Piastri says these elements will lead to a “more complicated” Sunday outing, with pace management also being thrown out the window as the mandatory two-stops loom over the historic streets of Monaco.

“I think there is going to be a lot of gambling on Safety Cars, Red Flags, especially if you’re not a high points-paying position,” the #81 said.

“There’s going to be a lot of risks taken, because ultimately if it goes wrong, you’re not losing anything. 

“So it makes it potentially more difficult for the teams at the top, such as ourselves, but it makes it more difficult for everybody, not just one team.

“So we’ll wait and see, but it is very complicated going through all the stuff we’ve gone through today. 

“It’s not simple. Not simple at all.”

For now, however, the focus lays heavily on completing Friday’s practice schedule without falling victim to the millimetre-perfect demands of the Circuit de Monaco — the first step in Piastri’s bid to emulate his manager Mark Webber’s success on these streets, having come within seven seconds of victory here in 2024.

Falling short to Charles Leclerc’s romantic home victory, Piastri’s second-place finish at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix still marked a breakthrough performance for the #81, showcasing his natural skill and resilience around one of Formula 1’s most challenging circuits in what was just his second year in the sport.

Coming into this weekend as the championship leader, however, expectations are far higher than they were 12 months ago, and with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris both shrinking down their respective WDC margins after outscoring the Australian at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Monaco could be a crucial turning point for Piastri’s championship charge.

Sporting a striking Riviera-inspired livery that nods to McLaren’s first Formula 1 victory in 1968, Piastri and teammate Lando Norris will hit the track for the first time this weekend when FP1 gets underway at 21:30 AEST tonight, followed by FP2 at 01:00 AEST.

Image: Formula 1

2025 Monaco Grand Prix Schedule (AEST):

Friday, May 23:

FP1: 21:30 – 22:30

Saturday, May 24:

FP2: 01:00 – 02:00

FP3: 20:30 – 21:30

Sunday, May 25:

Quali: 00:00 – 01:00

Race: 23:00

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