MONACO – Lando Norris claimed a crucial victory at a dramatic Monaco Grand Prix, successfully defending his lead against local favorite Charles Leclerc in a tense finish. This marks Norris`s first win since the opening race of the season.
Starting from pole position, Norris appeared in control for much of the race. However, the finale became a nail-biting affair when the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, opted to delay his mandatory pit stop until the very last lap.
This season`s regulations require each driver to make two pit stops. Verstappen`s strategic decision to pit late allowed Leclerc to significantly reduce the gap to Norris during the closing stages of the race.
The victory is highly significant for Norris, bringing him within just three points of his McLaren teammate and current championship leader, Oscar Piastri, who finished third.
Although considered a preseason title contender, Norris had seen the championship lead taken by Piastri, who had won four races since the Australian Grand Prix victory.
“Monaco baby, yeah baby!” a jubilant Norris exclaimed over the team radio after crossing the finish line.
Leclerc had to settle for second place, unable to repeat his popular home win from the previous year. Piastri rounded out the podium in third.
Verstappen`s late stop caused him to drop to fourth. His considerable lead over Ferrari`s Lewis Hamilton was what afforded him the strategic flexibility to stay out so long.
Despite some expectations of “chaos” from the new rules, the anticipated safety car or red flag interventions never occurred during the race.
The somewhat processional nature of the event in Monaco is likely to spark further debate about the success of the new regulatory experiment.
Hamilton finished fifth, ahead of Racing Bulls` Isack Hadjar. At one point, Hadjar seemed to be a potential contender for a surprising podium finish after making two quick pit stops, aided by his teammate Liam Lawson slowing down the field. However, reality soon set in, though sixth place is still a strong result for the Red Bull sister team.
Esteban Ocon delivered an impressive performance for Haas, finishing in seventh place after qualifying a strong tenth on Saturday.
Williams drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz secured the final points-paying positions in ninth and tenth respectively. Their strategies also contributed significantly to the drama and controversy further down the order.
With Lawson deliberately backing up the pack ahead, Albon and Sainz also slowed significantly. They were aware that points were within reach as other competitors were mandated to make the same number of pit stops.
Their slow pace frustrated Mercedes driver George Russell, who repeatedly complained about Sainz`s driving speed.
“This isn`t how I like to go racing, but that`s what the rules have created,” Williams boss James Vowles commented during the broadcast. “I don`t know what it`s like to watch at home, but from my position this is a difficult afternoon.”
Russell eventually overtook Sainz by cutting the Nouvelle Chicane.
“Had to avoid a collision with Albon slammed on the brakes,” Russell reported to his team afterwards. When instructed to give the position back, Russell responded, “I`ll take the penalty. He`s driving erratically.”
However, the stewards imposed a drive-through penalty, a significantly harsher punishment than the five-second time penalty Russell likely anticipated. This required him to either drive slowly through the pit lane or receive a 20-second penalty applied after the race. Upon hearing the stewards` decision, Russell simply said, “To be honest… I`m not going to speak.”
Russell ultimately finished 11th. Haas driver Oliver Bearman climbed from the back of the grid to 12th, perhaps offering some indication of the potential benefits of the new rules.
Fernando Alonso, who had described himself as the `unluckiest driver in the world` at the previous race in Imola, continued his streak without scoring points. He was forced to retire his Aston Martin car while running in a promising sixth position.
Pierre Gasly was the only other retirement from the race following an early collision with Red Bull`s Yuki Tsunoda.
Gasly ran into the back of Tsunoda`s car as they approached the Nouvelle Chicane, causing significant damage to his left suspension. He managed to bring the damaged car back to the pits, where Alpine retired it. The drivers involved had differing views on who was responsible for the incident.
After the collision, Tsunoda questioned over the radio: “Is he an idiot? What he`s doing?” However, Gasly placed the blame firmly on the Red Bull driver. “I didn`t expect Yuki to move under braking,” Gasly stated. “I was pretty close and for me he was braking very early.”
Following the race, stewards reprimanded Gasly and determined he was at fault for the collision. Separately, Haas received a €5,000 fine for an unsafe release of Bearman from the pit lane.
