Sergio Perez has revealed that the news of Monaco hosting a Sprint in 2027 sparked a flurry of activity in the F1 drivers' WhatsApp group, though the Cadillac driver has kept the details firmly under wraps.
The 2027 calendar was unveiled following the Spanish Grand Prix, with it featuring 24 races once again but a sharp increase from six sprints to 10.
Monaco is one of those, with the controversial decision having divided fans on social media, while it appears to have also caught the drivers by surprise.
Speaking on media day at the Baku City Circuit, Perez explained he first learned of the change through the group chat rather than an official announcement.
"I found out through our group, actually. There were some comments there. It was a bit busy, the group," Perez said.
"More than that, I didn't pay much attention other than what happened on the group."
Asked directly what was said among the drivers, Perez was coy.
"It stays on the group. You can imagine," Perez responded.
Sergio Perez in favour of F1 Monaco Sprint experiment
The Circuit de Monaco is notoriously difficult to overtake on, with the narrow streets and tight barriers meaning track position is almost everything come Sunday.
That has long made Saturday's qualifying hour the true spectacle of the weekend, with grid slots effectively deciding the race before a wheel is turned in anger.
Under the sprint format arriving in 2027, that dynamic gets doubled up. Instead of one hour of qualifying drama, teams and drivers will face sprint qualifying on Friday, the sprint itself on Saturday morning, and then a second, traditional qualifying session on Saturday afternoon for the grand prix grid.
In theory, that means two shots at the kind of tension Monaco produces better than anywhere else on the calendar.
Perez believes that shift could work in the event's favour, breaking up a weekend that has often felt settled once Saturday's running concluded.
"Well, I think, yeah, Monaco, I think you just make it a little bit more variable, to be honest," Perez explained.
"I think it was just a Saturday event in the last few years. Whatever happened on Saturday was basically done. So, I think right now it can mix things around a little bit more."
"I think it's going to be an interesting weekend. I'm definitely looking forward to it."
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