Horner has no issue with tactics marked 'unsportsmanlike' in Monaco, gives other suggestion to improve

21:19, 30 May

byKada Sarkozi

According to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, what teams did in Monaco was not against the rules. Racing Bulls and Williams held up the cars behind at the street circuit to secure points.

During the Monaco Grand Prix, after first Racing Bulls completed their stops with their drivers working together, Williams did the same. First Alexander Albon completed his pit stops, and then the Thai driver slowed the pack down so Carlos Sainz could do the same.

At one point, George Russell had enough, and cut the Nouvelle Chicane to overtake the Williams. For this incident, he received a drive through penalty.

Horner sees nothing wrong with Albon and Williams' behaviour

"The drivers drive for the team, at the end of the day. So, you can understand — if they’re instructed to drive slowly to assist another car to score points — they’re going to do it. I don’t think there was anything unfair about what happened. Nothing breached the regulations."

According to the Red Bull team principal, the real problem is with the circuit, but F1 should not just live with overtakes being impossible in Monte-Carlo.

"I don’t think we should just give up and accept, “Oh, it’s Monaco — you can’t overtake.” There’s enough passion around Formula 1 and enough interest to say: “OK, what can we do that’s a little bit different?” You’ve got to keep progressing. You’ve got to keep evolving. And I think that applies to all the circuits — including Monaco — because even Formula 3 cars are too big there now, in reality."

Horner believes that teams also can't for taking advantage of the new rules introduced for this year's Grand Prix. "Was it what was intended? No. But it’s a consequence. If you introduce something else, teams will always find a way to try and maximise it. And that’s what came out of it."