McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed a well-earned and historic first win at the Monaco Grand Prix, executing a near-perfect drive from pole to chequered flag.
With the new three-compound tyre rule threatening to shake up proceedings, Norris coolly adapted and led the race from start to finish, comfortably ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and teammate Oscar Piastri, who completed the podium.
Championship Shake-Up
Norris’ second win of the season narrows the gap at the top of the drivers’ standings. Piastri now leads by just three points, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished fourth, falls 25 points off the top.
Drivers’ Championship (Top 3):
Oscar Piastri – 122 pts
Lando Norris – 119 pts
Max Verstappen – 97 pts
New Tyre Rule, Same Procession
Formula 1’s new mandate requiring the use of three different tyre compounds during the race was meant to inject unpredictability into Monaco’s traditionally processional circuit.
However, the hoped-for chaos never materialised.
The only notable incident came on lap one, when Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashed, triggering a virtual safety car.
From there, the race settled into a strategic waiting game with little overtaking among the frontrunners.
How the Race Unfolded
Norris maintained his pole advantage at Turn 1 and led the top 10, who all held position early.
Norris, Leclerc, and Piastri all employed the same tyre strategy: mediums to start, followed by two hard-tyre stints.
Verstappen, lacking tyre flexibility, ran an inverted strategy, starting on hards, then mediums, and banking on a late incident to save a final soft tyre stint.
Red Bull delayed his final stop as long as possible, hoping for a red flag, but none came.
Verstappen eventually pitted with just one lap to go, handing third to Piastri and settling for fourth.
Hamilton Fifth, Alonso’s Nightmare Continues
Lewis Hamilton brought his Ferrari home in fifth, ahead of Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), who completed a two-stop strategy early to run to the end on hard tyres.
Fernando Alonso’s season from hell dragged on. He suffered an engine failure and retired for the fourth time in 2025, still pointless—matching his dismal 2015 McLaren-Honda start.
Final Top 10 Finishers
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
Esteban Ocon (Haas)
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Alex Albon (Williams)
Carlos Sainz (Williams)
Drama in the Midfield: Russell Penalised
A late-race tussle between Alex Albon and George Russell provided one of the few sparks of controversy.
Albon cleverly managed traffic to protect himself and teammate Carlos Sainz, enabling both to pit and still finish in the points.
Russell, frustrated, overtook by cutting the chicane and refused to return the place, expecting a five-second penalty.
Instead, stewards handed him a drive-through penalty, dropping him to 11th—his race already compromised by an electrical issue in qualifying.
The F1 caravan heads to Spain next weekend for the final race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, before the Spanish GP shifts to Madrid in 2026.
Constructors’ Standings (Top 3)
McLaren – 221 pts
Ferrari – 203 pts
Red Bull – 189 pts
