If you ever doubted that Formula 1 could still surprise you, the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix was a reminder that the old Principality still has a few tricks up its sleeve. On a day when the Mediterranean sun glinted off the yachts and the world’s most expensive traffic jam unfolded with all the usual pomp, Lando Norris finally etched his name into the marble of Monte Carlo. But this was no processional parade. This was a race that rewrote the script, tore up the old strategies, and left even the most jaded paddock veterans—myself included—genuinely breathless.
The New Rules of Engagement: Two Stops, Twice the Trouble
Let’s start with the elephant in the pit lane: the new mandatory two-stop rule. Monaco, a circuit where overtaking is as rare as a humble PR manager, was always going to be a curious laboratory for this experiment. The FIA, in its infinite wisdom (or perhaps boredom), decreed that every driver must pit twice and use at least two different slick compounds. The result? Chaos, as the drivers predicted, and for once, they weren’t exaggerating.
The opening lap set the tone. Gabriele Bortoleto, eager to make a name for himself, found the wall at Portier after a tangle with Kimi Antonelli, triggering a Virtual Safety Car before the field had even broken a sweat. Pierre Gasly, never one to shy away from drama, crashed into Yuki Tsunoda at the Nouvelle Chicane on lap nine, scattering carbon fiber and French expletives in equal measure. The marshals, bless them, barely had time to catch their breath.
Norris: From Pole to Prince of Monaco
Lando Norris, who had never won at Monaco before today, started on pole after a qualifying session that saw him dance his McLaren millimeters from disaster. He survived a massive lock-up at Sainte Devote, fended off a charging Charles Leclerc, and then managed the chaos of Virtual Safety Cars, traffic, and the strategic minefield of the new pit stop rules.
As the laps ticked by, Norris looked serene—at least on the outside. But as any historian of the grid will tell you, Monaco has a habit of turning serenity into calamity in the blink of an eye. Just ask Riccardo Patrese (1982), Olivier Panis (1996), or even Michael Schumacher (2004). Norris, though, kept his head. Even when Max Verstappen, running an off-set strategy, led into the closing stages, Norris didn’t blink. Verstappen’s gamble on a late red flag never paid off, and with a lap to go, the Dutchman was forced to pit, handing the lead—and the win—back to Norris.
It feels amazing. It’s a long, gruelling race, but good fun. We could push for much of the race. The last quarter was stressful with Leclerc behind and Max ahead, but we won in Monaco. This is what I dreamed of when I was a kid, so I achieved one of my dreams.
Lando Norris, McLaren
For Norris, this was his sixth career win, but his first at Monaco—a circuit where legends are made and careers are defined. Watch the drivers react after the race on YouTube
Leclerc: The Curse of Home Soil
If there is a more tragic figure in modern Monaco lore than Charles Leclerc, I have yet to meet him. The Monegasque, who finally broke his home race curse with a win in 2024, was desperate to repeat the feat. He started second, shadowed Norris for much of the race, and at times looked the faster man. But Monaco, as ever, is a circuit of margins—of millimeters and milliseconds.
Leclerc’s Ferrari team played the strategy game to perfection, responding to McLaren’s every move. But when Verstappen backed up the pack in the closing laps, Leclerc found himself tantalizingly close to Norris, yet unable to make a move. The streets that once cheered his childhood karting victories offered no quarter today.
The worst bit was the end. I felt quite under control the whole race but Max was backing it up a little bit and I knew Charles had opportunities. I tried to back off Max so I could push when I needed to. I’m very happy, my team are very happy. Therefore we’re going to have a wonderful night!
Lando Norris, McLaren
Leclerc crossed the line just three seconds adrift, the Principality’s heartbreak kid once more. For the record, this was only his second podium at home—proof, if any were needed, that Monaco is a cruel mistress, even to her own sons.
The Podium: Piastri’s Consistency, Verstappen’s Gamble
Oscar Piastri, the championship leader coming into Monaco, completed the podium. The Australian’s seventh consecutive podium finish is a testament to his metronomic consistency, but today he was simply outfoxed by Norris and outmaneuvered by Leclerc. Still, he leaves Monaco with a slender three-point lead in the championship—a lead that looks increasingly fragile as Norris finds his stride.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, played the long game. Starting on hard tyres, he ran deep into the race, hoping for a late safety car or red flag that never materialized. For a brief, tantalizing moment, it looked as though Red Bull’s gamble might pay off. But Monaco, as ever, rewards the brave and punishes the bold. Verstappen’s late stop dropped him to fourth, his frustration audible over the radio.
Is he an idiot? What is he doing?
Yuki Tsunoda, after Pierre Gasly’s crash
The Rest: Hamilton’s Solitude, Rookie Revelations, and Strategic Shenanigans
Lewis Hamilton, demoted on the grid after a qualifying penalty, drove a lonely race to fifth. The seven-time champion made up a couple of spots through the pit stop phase but was never truly in contention. Behind him, rookie Isack Hadjar delivered a career-best sixth for Racing Bulls, aided by some clever team tactics that saw Liam Lawson back up the field to create a pit stop gap. Esteban Ocon (Haas), Lawson, Alex Albon (Williams), and Carlos Sainz (Williams) rounded out the points.
George Russell, meanwhile, was left fuming after a drive-through penalty for an illegal overtake on Albon—a move born of frustration as he found himself stuck behind the Williams duo, who were executing their own version of the “Monaco train.” Fernando Alonso, still chasing his first points of the season, retired with engine trouble, while Pierre Gasly’s day ended in the barriers.
Full results and highlights at Formula1.com
Monaco’s History of Mayhem: A New Chapter
Monaco has always been a theatre of the absurd. From the chaos of 1982, when nobody seemed to want to win, to the rain-soaked attrition of 1996, to Senna’s defensive masterclass in 1992, the circuit has a knack for producing the improbable. Today’s race, with its enforced two-stop chaos and strategic brinkmanship, will be remembered as another chapter in that storied history.
Mandatory pit stops at Monaco are a novelty, and if today’s race is anything to go by, they may be here to stay. The rule forced teams to manufacture gaps, back up rivals, and play the long game in ways that would have made Ross Brawn smile. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was never dull.
The Human Drama: Pressure, Dreams, and Despair
What makes Monaco special isn’t just the glitz or the history—it’s the human drama. The sight of Norris, barely able to contain his joy as he crossed the line. The look of resignation on Leclerc’s face as another home win slipped away. The frustration of Verstappen, the solitude of Hamilton, the elation of rookies scoring their first points.
And, of course, the ever-present sense that at Monaco, anything can happen—and usually does.
Waste a bit more time
If you’re still hungry for more Monaco mayhem, here are a few ways to waste the rest of your Sunday:
- Full race recap and big moments (YouTube)
- Winners and Losers from the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix (YouTube)
- BBC Live Recap and Reaction
- Sky Sports Monaco GP Reaction
And if you’re still not satisfied, remember: in Formula 1, there’s always another race, another heartbreak, and—if you’re lucky—another miracle on the streets of Monaco.
