Lewis Hamilton reveals influential role in new F1 rule CHANGE

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Bahrain, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton reveals influential role in new F1 rule CHANGE

Lewis Hamilton has offered his perspective on a recent F1 change

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 2 March 2025 12:01 Updated: 12:32

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Lewis Hamilton has taken credit for a new Formula 1 rule change which will be introduced into the sport in 2025.

The seven-time world champion has just concluded three days of testing in Sakhir, where he put the SF-25 through its paces and clocked 162 laps, which nearly amounts to three Bahrain Grand Prix distances.

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Hamilton described winter testing as ‘the most positive feeling’ that he has ‘had in a long time’, and set his best lap time on day two with a time of 1:29.431, just 0.031s off the pace.

However, Hamilton’s Ferrari debut was not the only headline grabbing moment in Bahrain, where the FIA announced that they have changed the amount of mandatory pitstops for this year’s Monaco GP, following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

Lewis Hamilton tested the SF-25 in Bahrain

The Monaco GP's rules have been changed for 2025

What are Hamilton’s thoughts on Monaco GP rule change?

The 2024 Monaco GP was criticised by Max Verstappen, who labelled the race as ‘boring’ after the top ten did not change in order from the start until the finish.

A lap one crash resulted in a red flag, which saw every car make their one required pitstop to change tyres at the beginning of the race, but the change for 2025 means that drivers must stop at least twice.

Speaking to the media after pre-season testing, Hamilton revealed his support for these changes, and joked about the instrumental role he played in the Monaco GP rule change.

"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," he said.

Lewis Hamilton claims he thought of the idea for the Monaco GP rule change

"I think Monaco has to be at least a two-stop [race]. I think the one-stop was never really great. I think that 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.

"That won't fix it all. 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."