(Motorsport-Total.com) – According to George Russell, thanks to the new regulations, it will be possible to push the limits more in Monaco than in previous years: “This feels much more like a race car,” explains the Mercedes driver before the weekend.
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“It feels more natural to drive,” he says. “The power unit [as a factor] doesn’t come into play there. So when you’re driving on a challenging street circuit, you can really push the car to the limit, and that’s much more fun.”
In 2025, things looked completely different for Russell: “The cars were so huge last year,” emphasizes the world championship runner-up. “They were really heavy and stiff, and you felt every bump in the car. The rear could always break out on corner exit, the wheels locked up much faster, and you’d already turned into the wall.”
Compared to recent years, the cars of the 2026 season are a bit narrower. The often-discussed changes to the power unit, including features like the overtake mode, are also part of the new rules.
For the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIA has slightly adjusted the engine regulations. Drivers must completely forgo the use of active aerodynamics in the Principality. Adjustments to the engine mapping also limit top speeds.
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Russell also mentions wheel-to-wheel duels: “The duel with Kimi would not have been possible in last year’s cars,” says the 28-year-old. He is referring to his battle with Kimi Antonelli in Canada. “They were just so big and so stiff that wheel-to-wheel duels were really difficult.”
“You had less room for error, whereas now you can throw your car into riskier positions,” Russell explains. “So I think it’s really good.”
Before the Monaco Grand Prix, there are doubts whether the race in the Principality can really excite with the new rules. Sky expert Ralf Schumacher expressed his skepticism before the weekend. Nevertheless, drivers like Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon defend the race as an absolute unique event on the Formula 1 calendar.
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