Ex-F1 Steward Johnny Herbert Supports Domenicali's Shorter Race Proposal, Suggests Monaco GP

Why it matters: Former F1 driver and FIA Steward Johnny Herbert has publicly backed F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali's controversial proposal to shorten Grand Prix races, specifically highlighting the Monaco Grand Prix as a prime candidate for such a change. This discussion comes as F1 seeks to maintain viewer engagement and adapt to evolving audience attention spans.### The Big Picture: Domenicali recently floated the idea of shorter races, particularly for younger audiences, a demographic F1 has successfully courted through initiatives like the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive' and a strong social media presence. Herbert's support adds significant weight to the argument, suggesting a fundamental shift in race format could be on the horizon.### The Details:

• Herbert believes a shorter Monaco GP would "intensify it and thereby produce even better races than we've got today."
• He noted historical TV viewership trends show a drop-off in the middle of long races, with audiences returning only for the climax. "If you squeeze that, then I think you'll get the attention from the viewer there throughout, because you can't go away, because there is potential for something to happen."
• He also mused about potential sprint weekend formats featuring "two races of a similar distance."
• The Monaco GP has often been criticized as a "procession" due to the difficulty of overtaking on its narrow, twisty street circuit, exacerbated by the size and weight of modern F1 cars. Strategy often dictates results rather than on-track action.
• Recent attempts to inject excitement, such as a two-mandatory pit stop rule in this year's edition, proved ineffective, with teams using tactics to maintain positions, further cementing the race's 'processional' label.### What's next: The debate over race lengths and formats is likely to continue as F1 explores ways to enhance the spectacle and appeal to a broader, more dynamic audience. Domenicali's comments, now echoed by a respected F1 figure, indicate that significant changes to the Grand Prix weekend structure, particularly for events like Monaco, are actively being considered.