Monaco Grand Prix Recap

Last year, Formula 1 rolled out a mandatory two-stop strategy for the Monaco Grand Prix, aiming to make the race more exciting for fans. While we didn’t quite get the overtaking and strategic battles we were expecting then, this year has provided a different approach to achieving that excitement.

During the race, unexpected events like penalties, safety cars, and driver retirements played a significant role. In the end, Kimi Antonelli found himself back in the lead, fending off Lewis Hamilton, who had to start from a standing position with just a few laps left, ultimately securing his fifth consecutive Grand Prix victory.

What seemed like a seamless finish for Antonelli turned chaotic in the final laps. Things began spiraling when Max Verstappen stumbled at the start and had to retire immediately. Lance Stroll hit the wall on lap 60, which brought out a safety car and closed the gap between him and Antonelli. As the race resumed, Charles Leclerc, running in third, crashed shortly after, leading to a second safety car and another disappointing moment for the home crowd.

The race was still quite young when officials had to call a red flag due to track issues at Turn 19. Cars headed into the pit lane, and we faced the slowest restart in Monaco GP history.

In addition to the red flag confusion, several penalties were handed out. Investigations were launched into drivers accused of speeding in the pit lane, with particular scrutiny on whether those who received five-second penalties served them correctly. Among them was George Russell, who, despite receiving a penalty for speeding, didn’t appear to serve it properly during the safety car period that followed Stroll’s crash.

Russell ended up with a drive-through penalty for not properly serving his earlier punishment, which dashed his hopes for a podium finish. Izak Hajar faced a safety car violation for not staying close enough to the car ahead during the red flag. Both he and Hamilton were under investigation for possible infringements.

Drivers including Hamilton, Hajar, Russell, and Pierre Gasly—who were all positioned in the top five when the restart was called—faced different penalties or investigations. Ultimately, Russell was handed a drive-through penalty, while Gasly had to address two separate five-second penalties for speeding in the pit lane.

Fortunately for Hamilton and Hajar, their potential violations were cleared before the race resumed.

One big question for the restart was whether race director Louis Marche would call for a rolling or standing start. He decided on a standing start, putting pressure back on Antonelli as he sought his first Monaco Grand Prix victory. If there was any vulnerability for Antonelli and Mercedes this season, it was at the start.

The race saw an intense battle right off the line, with Antonelli set to face off against the seven-time champion in the closing laps.

When the lights went out, Antonelli managed to maintain his lead over Hamilton. Hajar was slow off the mark, dropping to fifth place as Russell and Guthrie passed him, though they had their own penalties to address.

In a separate incident, Nico Hulkenberg collided with Carlos Sainz Jr. at the hairpin, which ended Sainz’s race. Russell then entered the pits on lap 73 to serve his drive-through penalty, slipping down to 14th and losing any chance of a podium spot.

Meanwhile, Antonelli distanced himself from Hamilton, setting the fastest lap on lap 76. With two laps to go, he built a five-second cushion over Hamilton. Gasly was running third but had a 10-second penalty looming due to earlier infractions, which would be added to his time. In the midst of Hajjar facing further investigation for a possible red flag violation, Oscar Piastri in fifth was positioned for his own podium finish.

Ultimately, Antonelli took the win, crossing the finish line ahead of Hamilton for Ferrari’s second consecutive second-place finish. Though Gasly’s penalty promoted Hajjar to third, followed by Piastri, Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad, Gasly, Alexander Albon, Hulkenberg, and Esteban Ocon.

However, Hulkenberg received a 10-second penalty for the earlier contact with Sainz after the race, leaving Sergio Perez in tenth place.

For now, Perez also faced an investigation for being outside his starting box during the restart. If he receives a penalty, Fernando Alonso would move up to tenth.

Yet, the day was undoubtedly Antonelli’s. No teenager has clinched the driver’s championship in F1, but with this victory, the 19-year-old boosted his point total to 156, placing him 66 points ahead of Hamilton, who moved to second with 90 points.

“It was an unbelievable weekend, an unbelievable race, one of those days where the pace was just incredible,” Antonelli said after finishing.

“It was a really fun day.”

This marks Hamilton’s eighth podium in Monaco, matching the record set by the legendary Ayrton Senna.

“I think we’ve made progress over the last few months, but we’re still not quite there,” Hamilton remarked after the race. “It feels really good to get second place again.”