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Motorsport

Carlos Sainz slams two-pitstop rule for “manipulating the outcome” of the Monaco GP

Carlos Sainz Monaco Alex Albon George Russell Liam Lawson Williams Racing the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz has criticised the mandatory two-pitstop rule that was implemented for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, as he felt it was too easy for drivers manipulate it by slowing down to create a buffer for their team-mates to pit.

Both Williams drivers worked together to hold up the midfield which meant they could pit and not lose positions, resulting in both Sainz and Alex Albon scoring points in Monaco.

"Ultimately, you're driving two or three seconds off the pace that the car can do. You are ultimately manipulating the race, and manipulating the outcome a bit,” Sainz said after the race.

"Around Monaco, it's too easy to do. Other tracks, with DRS and straights, you cannot do it. But today was very easy to do, for everyone."

He and his Williams team-mate Alex Albon rounded out the points after backing up the Mercedes’ of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Carlos Sainz, Williams (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images)

Frustrated with their blocking, Russell overtook Albon off-track, cutting the chicane and telling his race engineer he’d rather take a penalty than return the position.

"I completely understand why he did it, because I nearly did it," Sainz said Russell, who received a drive-through penalty for deliberately cutting the chicane.

"In the past, there were huge penalties for manipulating a race. Ultimately, we are not crashing, but we are driving so slow that we are manipulating a race."

Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar also worked together, with the Kiwi creating a buffer for his team-mate.

The Frenchman only lost two positions when he stopped for soft tyres and ultimately ended the race in sixth place. It was a double-points finish for the team, with Lawson finishing eighth.

Photos from Monaco GP - Race

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

British model, actress and activist Naomi Campbell looks on from the pit lane ahead the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, on May 25, 2025. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Luca de Meo, CEO of the Renault Group with Zinedine Zidane

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

will.i.am with Moko and Chris Gayle in the Paddock

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Andy Cowell, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Derek Chang, Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Media Corporation, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez on the grid

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Patrick Dempsey

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

The drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Dua Lipa

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Zinedine Zidane and his wife Véronique Zidane

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor of Alpine F1 talks with Zinedine Zidane

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Jerome d'Ambrosio, Deputy Team Principal at Scuderia Ferrari Bruno Michel

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Adrian Newey, Managing Technical Partner of Aston Martin F1 on the grid

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Start of race

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Alexander Albon, Williams

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Race track atmosphere

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Race track atmosphere

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Fans

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Zak Brown, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Zak Brown, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Margarida Corceiro, Cisca Wauman, Adam Norris l

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Margarida Corceiro and Cisca Wauman

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Sunday

Formula 1

63

In this article

Emily Selleck

Formula 1

Carlos Sainz

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