The Monaco GP is set for an intriguing twist this year with the introduction of a mandatory two-stop strategy which aims to shake up the usual procession at the principality.

But will it actually work or could it backfire?

Here’s at the main questions ahead of the eighth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Will a mandatory two-stop strategy actually make a difference?

Formula 1 goes into somewhat of an unknown in Monaco this weekend, having made two pitstops stops mandatory in an attempt to spice up a race that has not delivered much in terms of excitement, particularly under the hybrid regulations. That means that drivers will have to use at least three sets of tyres during the race.

There hasn’t been a two-stop dry Monaco Grand Prix in recent history, at least not for any driver in a competitive situation, so this weekend’s race will put teams in an unusual position.

In fact, two-stop races in general are very uncommon these days, although last weekend’s Emilia Romagna GP saw most drivers stopping twice as a result of the late safety car period.

As at Imola, Pirelli will take the softest C6 compound to Monaco, although it remains to be seen if it will be used in the race after no one ran it on Sunday in Italy.

While teams will be forced to make two stops, only two compounds are mandatory, and no winner has used the soft tyres in the race over the last few years.

The rule is a noble attempt at spicing up the race, but core issue remains the circuit’s layout, which makes it nearly impossible to overtake regardless of pit strategy.

On top of that, there is a danger that the rule could actually lead some teams — especially those at the back — attempting to game the system by making both stops very early in the race, and then hoping for a safety car to bunch up the field before others have had a chance to make their two stops: ultimately creating more artificial strategies than actual on-track action.

A driver making back-to-back pitstops on consecutive laps is something that can’t be ruled out and that would make a mockery of the FIA’s experiment.

There is no doubt that every team will have thought of all possible scenarios to make the most of the system, so even if it doesn’t produce better racing, it will be at least very interesting to watch teams test the limits of the rulebook.

Can Mercedes redeem itself?

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was, in George Russell‘s words, “the worst day we’ve had as a team in a couple of years in terms of pace”, after dropping from third on the grid to seventh at the chequered flag.

Mercedes’s problems with tyre management on hot tracks are now well documented by now and even the team itself is not too sure it has the answers to fix that anytime soon.

But Monaco could offer the team a good opportunity to redeem itself after Imola. As Russell showed at Imola, one-lap pace is not a problem for him, so a strong qualifying in Monte Carlo should go a long way towards securing a strong result.

There will be two factors that are likely to play in Mercedes’ favour. The first is that it’s almost impossible to overtake at Monaco, and the second that tyre management will not be as important given that all drivers will have to make two pitstops, as per the one-off rules.

The temperature will also be lower than at Imola, so Mercedes should have the elements to bounce back after its worst weekend of the season.

Will Alonso end his points drought?

During the Imola race, Fernando Alonso shouted on the radio that he felt he was “the unluckiest driver in the f**ing world”, a sentiment that, as hyperbolic as it was (in typical Alonso fashion), reflected how the grand prix had unfolded for him.

Aston Martin finally brought some updates that made a difference to its performance after a below-par start to the season, and both Alonso and Lance Stroll put it to good use in qualifying to finish season-best fifth and seventh.

It would have been hard to predict that neither would score any points on Sunday, Alonso coming home in 11th and Stroll in 15th.

It was the timing of the virtual safety car that put an end to their hopes, as both had already pitted when it was deployed. That allowed Alonso’s rivals to lose a lot less time during their pitstops, robbing him of what looked set to be a sixth-place finish.

But it was not all bad news for the Spaniard, who admitted that he was surprised by the pace of the Aston Martin following its upgrades.

That bodes well for Monaco, where Alonso gave Aston a podium two years ago and where he will be looking to end a points drought that now stretches to last year’s season finale.

How painful will Monaco be for Ferrari?

Charles Leclerc made a dream come true at Monaco by winning his home race for Ferrari in 2024. A year later, even the prospect of a podium finish appears overoptimistic for him and the Italian squad.

Leclerc endured a nightmare start to his weekend at Imola, failing to qualify in the top 10 on merit. He did bounce back from the dismal Saturday by crossing the line sixth, despite begging for a tyre change that wasn’t possible.

But the fact is that both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were over 40 seconds off the lead car when the safety car was deployed near the end of the race. In the previous year’s grand prix at Imola, Leclerc finished on the podium, less than eight seconds behind Verstappen.

All that’s to say that Ferrari’s chances for Monaco are not looking great, at least on paper.

A legendary car up for auction

Off the track, one of the highlights from the Monaco weekend will be the auction of one of the most iconic cars from Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 career.

Schumacher’s Monaco GP winner will be up for auction

The 2001 Ferrari F2001 chassis 211 is set to be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s.

The car holds a special place in motorsport history, as Schumacher drove it to victory at Monaco in 2001, marking his fifth and final triumph in the principality.

Later that same season, he drove the same chassis to win the Hungarian Grand Prix, securing his fourth title and helping Ferrari clinch the constructors’ crown for the 11th time.

The auction will be held in the Paddock Club just before qualifying and the car is expected to fetch a multi-million dollar price.