Lando Norris wins Monaco Grand Prix as new rule fails to make impact

Lando Norris clinched another predictable victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, as Formula 1's pit stop gamble fell flat. The new rule forcing all drivers to make two changes on Sunday in an attempt to inject some excitement into the race proved fruitless.

Instead, it created a scenario where teams could exploit the narrow Monte Carlo streets, making overtaking virtually impossible and allowing one driver to slow down others to buy their team-mates enough time to pit. Racing Bulls and Williams were among those who successfully utilised this strategy, leaving a disgruntled George Russell facing a hefty penalty for angrily cutting a chicane.

However, there was minimal drama at the front of the pack. Norris maintained his pole position from start to finish, thanks to his record-breaking qualifying lap, despite Charles Leclerc's relentless pressure.

Oscar Piastri secured third place, exactly where he started, while Max Verstappen ended up fourth after a late pit stop from the lead with Red Bull taking a punt on a late red flag that never materialised.

Lewis Hamilton managed to match his best Grand Prix result for Ferrari so far by coming in fifth, ahead of newcomer Isack Hadjar who capitalised on the Racing Bulls strategy to achieve an impressive result. Both Mercedes cars failed to crack the top 10.

In contrast to the Formula 2 feature race earlier in the day, which witnessed a 12-car pile-up at the first corner, all drivers managed to navigate Sainte-Devote without incident this time. However, there was a mishap on the first lap when Gabriel Bortoleto crashed his Sauber into the barrier, caught off guard by Kimi Antonelli.

The Brazilian driver managed to reverse and continue, making it to the pit lane to fit a new front wing and carry on. But it wasn't long before we had our first casualty of the race when Pierre Gasly locked up his rear wheels and collided with the back of Yuki Tsunoda.

This completely wrecked the front-left of the Alpine but he persevered, limping the car back to the garage. Pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz deemed this "super dangerous" and predicted that both team and driver would be "in bother" for not immediately abandoning what was clearly a heavily damaged car.

At the front, Norris had locked up at the first corner but still held onto the lead from Leclerc. He maintained this until he became the first of the front-runners to pit, rejoining the race in fourth place and, perhaps most crucially, with a few seconds of clear air.

He had the speed to guarantee that once his rivals pitted, they'd find themselves trailing him once more. However, a sluggish pit stop for Piastri ruined his chances of undercutting Leclerc, particularly as Ferrari executed a lightning-fast tyre change in just two seconds.

Verstappen, who stayed out the longest during the first stint, aimed to create a gap large enough to undercut Piastri. Yet, his strategy was thwarted by backmarker traffic, prompting an early tyre swap to avoid losing position to Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Alonso's run of bad luck continued as he suffered an engine failure mid-race, leaving him point-less after eight Grand Prix weekends in 2025. Having already dubbed himself F1's unluckiest man in Imola last week, his current misfortune only adds weight to that claim.

Midfield drama unfolded as some teams and drivers deliberately slowed down to assist their teammates in finding a pit window that would prevent them from dropping positions. This tactic sparked outrage from Russell, who lambasted Albon for "erratically" impeding his progress.

He boldly circumnavigated the Nouvelle Chicane, overtaking the Williams and audaciously declining to cede back his spot, defiantly broadcasting to his team that he would "rather take the penalty". His stance shifted dramatically when the anticipated five or 10-second penalty escalated to a drive-through, costing him a staggering 20 seconds overall.

Neither he nor his comrade Antonelli had made their pit stops yet, dashing any hopes of scoring points. Likewise, Tsunoda plummeted to the rear following his terminal stops.