Red Bull’s Masterful Two-Stop Strategy at the Monaco Grand Prix

Sitting in the media center of the Monaco Grand Prix, my colleagues and I were left pondering the impact of the mandatory two-stop rule. Was it a game-changer or just another twist in the Formula 1 race? One thing was clear – Red Bull Racing had mastered this strategy to perfection.

The Genius Behind Red Bull’s Two-Stop Strategy

Speaking on Saturday evening, Pirelli motorsport chief Mario Isola hinted that it would take a “genius” rather than a strategist to navigate the new Monaco-specific regulation change. It turns out Red Bull Racing had both in their pit crew, as they were the first to implement the tactic of the second car slowing the field to create a gap for the lead car to pit and rejoin the race with a clear track ahead.

Isack Hadjar, who started the race in fifth following an impressive qualifying effort, was the primary beneficiary of this strategy. However, Liam Lawson deserves equal credit for executing his role flawlessly. This tactic led to Hadjar finishing sixth and Lawson eighth on a beautiful afternoon in Monaco for the Red Bull junior team.

You can see it – the whole team is gathered here in front of the garage, they’re absolutely thrilled for the team, for Isack, for Liam,” Racing Bulls chief executive Peter Bayer told ServusTV. “Brilliant job by our strategists. We’ve had our share of frustrations with Laurent [Mekies, team principal] over strategy but today they really pulled off a stroke of genius. The bit of risk we took definitely paid off.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was left frustrated as Williams implemented a similar tactic more aggressively, but he did acknowledge Red Bull Racing for “punching above their weight” with this strategy call.

The Impact of Red Bull’s Strategy on the Championship

Of course, it’s hugely important – 12 points in the championship,” added Bayer. “I think that puts us just behind Haas, but even more important is, the car works, the team works, and there’s harmony. You can really feel the energy in the team, the joy they get from their work.

One person whose smile may be broader than anyone else’s is Hadjar, whose impressive rookie season continued on the tight and twisty streets of Monaco. Having recovered brilliantly from his inauspicious start to the year in Australia, with the Frenchman in tears after crashing out before the race had even begun, he is now showing great potential.

The problem is you’re nearly falling asleep because you’re doing tyre management and it’s becoming really boring,” Hadjar said. “Sometimes I was picking up the pace because I was so bored that I had to keep thinking. It was a long way to the end.

Lawson, who seemed to have found his footing after his promotion to Red Bull, now seems to be back home after his opening two rounds of 2025 left him disappointed for not getting a longer run to prove himself. However, he is now getting on with his business and proving that he would do whatever it takes for the team.

I mean, there’s always a potential, and I think obviously when we make a decision like that, our race is limited to basically where I was in P8,” Lawson said. “But honestly, it’s hard to overtake here anyway. So, for us on our side, the damage was done in quali yesterday, but for the team it’s a great result.