Whereas Monaco is called a playing haven, its Formulation 1 grand prix is usually a meritocracy reasonably than one outlined by being dealt an excellent hand. Qualifying on pole is normally a recipe for achievement on Sunday, and even F1’s finest efforts to attempt one thing completely different by mandating two pitstops did not flip the race right into a roll of the cube as some feared.
As a substitute, the qualifying outcome was nonetheless revered on the entrance, which is making us lean extra closely on Saturday to outline this column, whereas there was additionally scope for unorthodox workforce work additional down the grid within the scrap for factors.
This is who hit the jackpot and who ran out of luck on F1’s glitziest weekend.
Winner: Lando Norris turns a nook
Lando Norris, McLaren
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Whether or not you imagine in momentum or not, Oscar Piastri’s run of three consecutive victories between Bahrain and Miami was beginning to pitch the Australian as McLaren’s lead driver, whereas Lando Norris struggled greater than his team-mate to wring essentially the most out of his 2025 automobile in qualifying. The problems each drivers skilled is getting a predictable response from the entrance axle, which Norris grappled with greater than his team-mate, and it is without doubt one of the key areas McLaren is attempting to handle this season whereas its automobile is the decide of the sphere.
Norris was behind Piastri in Imola qualifying as soon as extra, however turned the tables in Monaco – a observe that rewards automobile confidence and punishes errors greater than another format. He deserves credit score for conserving cool throughout the race, however solely dangerous luck with crimson flags or a driver error might have actually stored him from the win on a Sunday afternoon cruise.
What’s extra necessary is that he and his facet of the storage appeared to not less than have discovered some options to get extra snug when chasing the restrict. Norris now heads to Barcelona simply three factors behind Piastri, successfully ranging from zero once more within the title struggle.
Loser: Crimson Bull nonetheless cannot take care of Monaco
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
Max Verstappen’s excellent Imola win might have demonstrated that Crimson Bull discovered sure enhancements on tyre put on, and that McLaren’s drivers will not simply get their very own means this yr. However Crimson Bull’s weak spot over kerbs and bumps, which Verstappen lamented ultimately yr’s Monaco Grand Prix, nonetheless hasn’t been addressed.
This meant even Verstappen could not do higher than qualifying seven tenths off polesitter Norris, whereas team-mate Yuki Tsunoda missed the reduce to Q3. Fourth is definitely an excellent outcome for Verstappen and Crimson bull, all issues thought-about. And by delaying his second pitstop till the tip, the Dutchman put himself ready to get fortunate within the case of a late crimson flag, which did not materialise.
A bit extra regarding is Tsunoda’s state of affairs, who was on par with Verstappen when it comes to automobile specification for about three follow periods in Imola earlier than falling behind once more because of his qualifying smash. As a lingering after-effect, Tsunoda needed to proceed utilizing the pre-Miami flooring in Monaco and is as soon as once more chasing his tail to get inside a decent distance of Verstappen.
At Monaco, one other likelihood to attain factors went begging. Barcelona, with its additional improve packages and entrance wing flexing clampdown, affords the Japanese driver an opportunity for a reset, however his spare elements state of affairs just isn’t precisely serving to him settle.
Winner: Ferrari enjoys a uncommon weekend within the solar
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Picture by: Peter Fox / Getty Photographs
Charles Leclerc was pissed off after lacking out on the all-deciding pole by a tenth, which meant his finest likelihood of repeating final yr’s fairytale dwelling win evaporated. However fact be informed, Leclerc deserves all of the credit score for splitting the McLarens to start with, displaying as soon as once more what a formidable qualifier he actually is.
The Ferrari, with its glorious traction and acceleration, might maintain its personal on the streets of the Principality and ending second with Leclerc and fourth with Hamilton was past expectation. Sadly for Hamilton, a possible fourth grew to become fifth after a three-place grid penalty for impeding Verstappen because of a communication error by the workforce. However the Briton was nonetheless one of many few drivers within the high 10 to maneuver up, popping out in entrance of Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar after the primary spherical of pitstops.
The explanation why Leclerc was so upset on Saturday was as a result of this was a uncommon weekend on which the Ferrari proved aggressive, and it isn’t anticipating to be within the image in Barcelona in contrast with Verstappen and the McLarens. That is why it was necessary for the squad to capitalise on its tempo this weekend, and it has largely executed so.
Loser: Mercedes loses floor after qualifying catastrophe
George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Lots might be mentioned about Mercedes’ curious technique this weekend, delaying the necessary pitstops for each George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli till the tip of the race, after they had been already out of the image and preventing vehicles who had already gotten their stops out of the way in which.
One wonders why the workforce did not not less than attempt splitting its methods by doing one thing completely different with – say – Antonelli’s automobile. Russell’s determined transfer to straight-line the chicane and get previous Williams driver Alex Albon spoke volumes about simply how irritating it was for everybody caught in visitors on Sunday afternoon, with Russell admitting he was simply relieved to discover a little bit of clear air not less than.
However on the finish of the day, it’s all pretty inconsequential as Mercedes’ weekend was actually over after qualifying, when Antonelli crashed in Q1 and Russell suffered {an electrical} difficulty in Q2. From 14th and fifteenth on the grid they had been going nowhere.
Nonetheless, Monaco marks a second consecutive setback for Mercedes after a tough Imola weekend, which implies Crimson Bull – all due to Verstappen – and Ferrari are closing in.
Winner: Racing Bulls play it good, collectively
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
Picture by: Peter Fox / Getty Photographs
Do not hate the participant, hate the sport. Racing Bulls and Williams could also be getting criticism from some for his or her tactic of 1 automobile holding others as much as create a pitstop window, however that was precisely what was required in Monaco to get a outcome.
Racing Bulls rapidly realised this was the way in which to go to let Hadjar get his pitstops out of the way in which early, and the younger Frenchman stayed in sixth till the tip of the race as reward for his glorious qualifying efficiency.
Hadjar is nothing wanting a revelation this season, doing every part he must be thought-about for promotion up the Crimson Bull chain sooner or later. And whereas he slammed himself for tagging the wall twice in follow, he discovered from his errors getting up to the mark in Monaco and stored it clear when it mattered.
However Racing Bull’s execution on Sunday is simply attainable if in case you have each vehicles qualifying in place and shut to one another, so alongside Hadjar credit score additionally goes to fellow Monaco Grand Prix debutant Liam Lawson for first moving into Q3 after which being a workforce participant.
His 4 factors means the New Zealander is now on the board as effectively, banking a little bit of credit score after discovering it difficult to match his rookie team-mate. RB greater than doubled its factors complete in a single go, because it finds itself within the struggle for sixth with Haas.
Loser: Fernando Alonso hit by one other cartoon anvil
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Two full-time drivers are but to attain factors this season. One is a rookie within the worst automobile – Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber – and the opposite is two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
The Spaniard already labelled himself the unluckiest driver on the earth after security vehicles derailed his hunt for factors final week in Imola, however absolutely this time Alonso would get off the mark after qualifying a wonderful seventh – and beginning sixth – in Monaco, the place passing is inconceivable? Certainly?
However even design guru Adrian Newey’s first trackside look in inexperienced did not deliver a couple of change of fortunes. As soon as once more, greater powers intervened to drop a cartoon anvil onto Alonso’s Aston Martin, knocking his Mercedes energy unit out of competition. It was rumoured Lance Stroll additionally took half within the race. Like many, the Canadian’s race was already over from nineteenth on the grid.
Seeing Racing Bulls and Haas each rating just isn’t a welcome sight for the Silverstone workforce, however there’s nonetheless optimism that its efficiency was lifted by Imola’s upgrades. Now it simply wants to show the positive aspects into tangible outcomes.
Winner: Esteban Ocon delivers once more for Haas
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Staff
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Some flowers also needs to go to Esteban Ocon and his race engineer, Laura Muller, for making it into the highest 10 in qualifying. Possibly they deserve some candies, too, after judging the race completely to remain there with two pretty early pitstops, which banked Ocon seventh on the end.
It is not the primary time this season Haas snatched a factors win by out-executing different groups, and the workforce’s automobile appeared to return alive on Monaco’s streets. That is precisely the form of weekend Ocon and Haas want in a good midfield battle, with the Frenchman actually showing to hit his stride on the American workforce in distinction with a fraught 2024 season – and certainly Monaco weekend – with Alpine.
Staff-mate Oliver Bearman was much less lucky after being slapped with a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking beneath a crimson flag in follow. The one selection for Bearman was to attempt a radically completely different technique, however a gradual early cease did not assist. Then, he was caught in Monaco visitors regardless.
Loser: Alpine lacks grip over Monaco’s bumps
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
Alpine’s swap of Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto is not understanding simply but, which should not be a giant shock as Monaco is an especially powerful problem for Colapinto given his lack of 2025 seat time. However on the whole, Alpine is in the identical boat as Crimson Bull by struggling on a bumpy circuit like Monaco, besides with a decrease baseline efficiency to start out from.
What’s extra, the tight midfield meant that Gasly was simply seven tenths off the quickest time in Q1, which was solely adequate for 18th. Colapinto was a lot additional off as he grappled with the steadiness of threat and reward one week on from his Imola qualifying crash, setting the slowest time in Q1.
The race did not deliver any reversal of fortunes both. After each drivers pitted on lap 1, Gasly bumped into the again of Tsunoda into the chicane, which you’d most likely must name a racing incident. Colapinto, in distinction, stored it out of the partitions however had no life like means of transferring into the factors.
Images from Monaco GP – Race
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