FIA to raise pit lane speed limit to make certain F1 races more interesting

The FIA wants to increase the pit lane speed of select Formula 1 races to make them more strategically interesting, including the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort and the Singapore Grand Prix.

This comes after the opening rounds of the 2025 campaign have raised concerns about relatively straightforward one-stop grands prix.

So, to make contests strategically more interesting, Pirelli has opted for compounds that are one step softer than last year’s tyres in Jeddah and Miami.

The idea is that higher tyre wear should lead to more pitstops, different strategies, and increased entertainment for the fans. 

But in Jeddah last time out, this idea had no impact as one-stop strategies remained possible due to the low tyre wear, although it could have more impact in Miami this weekend.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met with Pirelli’s Mario Isola during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend to discuss the situation and options to make certain races more exciting for the rest of the season.

Higher pit lane speed to make extra stops more attractive

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, leaves the pits

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

The FIA is looking at various options in addition to softer compounds, Motorsport.com understands. 

One of those options is raising the pit lane speed limit. For most grands prix, the pit limiter is set at 80 km/h with four exceptions: Melbourne, Monaco, Zandvoort, and Singapore, where it is just 60 km/h for safety reasons.

The FIA has made it clear that the maximum speed cannot be changed for Monaco, but it is looking to intervene for Zandvoort and Singapore and increase it to 80km/h for those grands prix.

This should shorten the overall time loss through making a pitstop, enticing teams into different strategies. For Singapore, for example, the total stop time could be reduced from approximately 29 seconds to just 23 seconds.

But, the FIA has clarified that “minor adjustments” to the pit lanes in Zandvoort and Singapore are needed for this change. These need to be completed and approved before the plan can be officially communicated.

The regulations don’t need changing, as Article 34.7 of the FIA Sporting Regulations already states: “A speed limit of 80km/h will be imposed in the pit lane during the whole competition. 

“However, this limit may be amended by the Race Director following a recommendation from the Safety Delegate.”

How effective will the alternative solution for Monaco be?

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, in the queue to leave the pits

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

For Monaco, increasing the maximum speed is not possible but the FIA is opting for a minimum of two mandatory pitstops.

However, drivers are still questioning how much impact this will have and how it will work in practice.

Rookie Oliver Bearman said: “I don’t know how it’s going to work. I’m sure they’re going to mandate on which lap you can stop from, a bit like in Formula 2. Otherwise, I would just pit on lap 1, pit again on lap 2 and do the whole race on the hard tyres.

“But I’m sure they’ve figured out a solution to stop people from doing that and having the pit window opening from lap 15 or whatever, I assume. But I’m sure it will create some interesting results.”