Lewis Hamilton has claimed he gave F1 bosses the idea to turn the Monaco Grand Prix into a two-stop race years ago. The FIA have given the green light to turn Monaco into a unique event on the F1 calendar, where drivers will be required to make two mandatory pit stops as opposed to one. The changes will be implemented in time for the 2025 race on Sunday, May 25, but Hamilton believes it should have happened a long time ago, suggesting he was first to call for a two-stop race.

"I'm pretty sure that was my idea anyways. But if you go back and look at some of the transcripts of previous years, I've been mentioning the two stop for years," Hamilton said after completing F1's three-day testing schedule in Bahrain. "I think Monaco has to be at least a two-stop [race]. I think the one-stop was never really great. I think that [the Monaco] Grand Prix is a great Grand Prix, but the race... there's more to offer in the race maybe with more than one pit stop."

Hamilton, 40, will race around the streets of adopted home in Ferrari colours for the first time this season after the Briton ended his 12-year association with Mercedes. But he insisted that the FIA's attempts to make Monaco more exciting will require more than just changes to pit stops:

"That won't fix it all," he added. "We'll still see some of the issues of not overtaking and stuff, but I think it will make it more exciting. So yeah, I'm all for it."

The Monaco Grand Prix is cherished as one of the most prestigious and original races in Formula 1, as it has been held on the streets of Monte Carlo since 1929. However, the circuit has struggled to adapt with the modernisation of motorsport, with its narrow streets and tight corners often proving to be detrimental to F1's increasingly enlarged cars.

In 2023, only four overtakes were recorded during a dull race, which led to strong calls from drivers and pundits to alter the track layout or preserve Monaco as a special event. Changing the track is difficult to due to its location in and around the residences of the ultra-rich, so the FIA have chosen the cheaper and perhaps more exciting option.

The FIA released a statement on Thursday to confirm they had approved the changes after putting the matter under consideration in talks with the F1 Commission.

It read: “The FIA World Motor Sport Council reviewed a proposal regarding the implementation of a mandatory 2-stop strategy (in both wet and dry conditions) for the Monaco GP, with the primary intent of improving the sporting spectacle of this race given the notable difficulty in overtaking at this circuit.

"Following recent discussions in the F1 Commission, a specific requirement for the Monaco GP has been approved mandating the use of at least three sets of tyres in the race, with a minimum of two different tyre compounds to be used if it’s a dry race.”

With two pit stops, teams will need to adapt their strategies and setups to adhere to the new regulations, which will affect how they approach free practice sessions, qualifying and the race.