Qualifying for the Monaco GP is one of the most exciting moments of the entire Formula 1 season. In 2024, things were already going well in Q1, and even top-class drivers had to fight for survival. Lando Norris was only able to qualify for Q2 at the last second, and the eventual pole-setter Charles Leclerc also had to fight. The unusual reason: Both had picked up a piece of advertising board and had to drive into the pits unexpectedly.
Norris’s advertising got tangled in the underbody, while Leclerc’s front wing was affected. “The car lost so much downforce that it was three seconds slower,” revealed McLaren team boss Andrea Stella. “The fact that a few meters of advertising banners can be picked up is not up to the standard of a race track,” the Italian grumbled.
For Norris, it was a close call, with the Brit coming into the pits at the last second. The McLaren crew were able to quickly remove the advertising boards and send Norris back onto the track. He still had one fast lap left in Q1. “They have to find better solutions than stickers. It’s not acceptable that you can ruin your whole weekend with a few stickers,” says Norris.
Explained: How perimeter advertising works in Formula 1
In fact, perimeter advertising – like everything in Formula 1 – is not as trivial as it may seem at first glance. The Bavarian company Sport Signage has specialized in perimeter advertising in Formula 1 for decades. Sport Signage has even been an FIA-licensed supplier since 2014.
The stickers are a special film that is applied to crash barriers and TecPro barriers. The requirements are varied: for example, the advertising banners must not be easily flammable or simply wrap around the car.
Nevertheless, in Monaco, especially in Q1, you could see several meters of the foil lying on the track. Between Mirabeau and the Loews hairpin, a large piece lay in the middle of the racing line. “I was surprised that the session was not interrupted,” says Max Verstappen.
Formula 1 removes critical banners for the race
The reason for the numerous obstacles was the frequent contact with the walls by the pilots. The foil can withstand certain loads, as can be seen from the tire tracks, but at a certain point there are holes and the foil begins to come off.
To avoid this, no advertising banners are placed at critical points. But in 2024 there were more wall contacts than in the past. In total, this is how the incidents occurred. McLaren is still angry. “It had a catastrophic effect on Lando’s performance. After all, what will decide the race result tomorrow?” asks Stella.
“Is it luck whether the banners are taken or not? Or should it be a result of the quality of the drivers, the cars and the teams? Something has to be done,” demands the McLaren team boss. The foils cannot be attached any more firmly. However, advertising banners will continue to be removed in critical places so that the risk is minimized.