"Always been a bit like this" - Max Verstappen weighs in on the ongoing Monaco discourse

Max Verstappen recently shared his take on the Monaco Grand Prix and the criticism following the race. The Dutchman claimed that while the race needed a change, there was no "easy solution".

Monaco is no stranger to criticism because of its narrow track and 2024 was no different. The latest edition of the race at the Principality attracted heavy criticism after the top ten on Sunday remained unchanged from qualifying.

Home favorite Charles Leclerc claimed the pole and Pierre Gasly took P10 during qualifying on Saturday. The entire order from P1 to P10 remained the same until the chequered flag on Sunday for the first time in F1 history.

Following this, there were widespread calls from fans as well as critics to drop the Monaco race. Max Verstappen was quoted as saying about the race (via Racingnews365):

"Monaco has always been a bit like this. Probably now more people have an opinion about it, but it's not an easy solution.”

When asked about the improvements needed, the defending champion said:

"We have to look into maybe some other things first, just like mandatory tires or whatever."

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Why is the Monaco GP facing criticism?

F1 Grand Prix of Monaco MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 26: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Being a street circuit, the Monaco GP track is narrower than the traditional tracks such as Silverstone or Red Bull Ring. The circuit is also enclosed with fences which makes maneuvering the cars tougher for drivers at high speed.

The dimensions of the F1 cars from when the Monaco GP first started to this day are markedly different. The latest generation challengers are wider, larger, and heavier compared to their predecessors. As a result, the track does not offer much choice to drivers who might wish to risk their race and go for an overtake.

This, from a spectator's point of view, makes the race less interesting. There is hardly any overtake or wheel-to-wheel tussle during the race. Even for drivers like Max Verstappen, the 2024 race was "just really, really boring," as he started the race from P6 and ended in the same position.

Despite all the criticism, the race at the Principality is the Crown Jewel of F1 and one of the most important ones considering its history. It will be interesting to see the course of action Liberty Media and the FIA take to improve the event in the future and make it more exciting.