The Monaco weekend faced a problem with banners covering the barriers around the Monte Carlo street circuit. These banners kept coming off, especially in areas like the swimming pool, where cars brushed against them.
During the qualifying session, McLaren driver Lando Norris faced a particular issue at Mirabeau. A section of the banners there got sucked off by the cars’ force passing close to them. Norris hit this section, forcing him to pit, risking elimination from the session.
Norris expressed his frustration, saying incidents like this shouldn’t happen in Formula 1. He mentioned raising concerns about it earlier, expecting a fix that didn’t come.
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, supported Norris, calling the situation unacceptable for a racing circuit. He emphasized the impact on the car’s performance, with Norris losing significant downforce.
Stella urged action before the race to prevent a repeat, stressing that such problems had persisted since the start of practice sessions.
The FIA instructed marshals to remove loose banner sections between qualifying segments to avoid further issues. Changes were planned for the race, with some branding set to be removed in certain areas to ensure safety.
