Lando Norris wins Monaco GP to close up to Oscar Piastri

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Lando Norris won the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Reuters/Piroschka Van De Wouw

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Lando Norris said it was a “dream” come true as he added his name to the list of Monaco Grand Prix winners. But the jury remains out on the race in the modern era as Monaco’s new ‘mandatory two-stop rule’ proved only partially successful.

Norris will not mind that. The 25-year-old managed to convert pole position to win by three seconds from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri and close the gap to the Australian at the top of the standings to just three points.

“Monaco baby!” he screamed as he crossed the line. “Yes baby! Wooo. We did it. We won Monaco. Just a dream.”

It was a slightly tense finish with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leading on track until the penultimate lap as he delayed his second pit stop in the hope of a safety car. But the Dutchman’s hopes were in vain, and he dropped back to fourth, which was where he started. Lewis Hamilton was fifth in the second Ferrari.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished 11th and 18th respectively, with Russell handed a drive-through penalty for overtaking Williams’s Alex Albon at Nouvelle Chicane and then controversially refusing to give the place back.

More to follow...

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04:30 PM BST​

The next race...​

It’s the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend. Here are the session times for that weekend:

Friday May 30
FP1 – 12.30pm BST
FP2 – 4pm

Saturday May 31
FP3 – 11.30am
Qualifying – 3pm

Sunday June 1
Race – 2pm

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04:29 PM BST​

Verstappen’s verdict on the new rule​

“You can’t race here anyway so it doesn’t matter what you do. One stop, 10 stops. Even at the end, I was in the lead but my tyres were completely gone and you still can’t pass. Nowadays with an F1 car you can just pass a Formula 2 car around here. I get it, but I don’t think it has worked.”

What about stopping within a certain window rather than free choice of when you change tyres?

“Yeah, but then honestly we are almost doing MarioKart. Then we have to install bits on the car, maybe you can throw bananas around.”

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04:21 PM BST​

Did the new three sets of tyres rule work?​

Not really. I mean, it was probably better and with more jeopardy but it was too weird and unpredictable and bordered on farcical. This was partly caused by an early red flag last year which meant drivers changed their tyres under that stoppage and went to the end without doing a pit stop.

How about we stop tyre tyre changes for everyone under a red flag? That is a rule that needs changing.

The new rules did not overcome the fundamental problem, though: you cannot overtake in Monaco. This led to so many drivers backing up those behind them by going three or four seconds a lap slower, in order to benefit their team-mates. Can you blame them? No. It worked for Racing Bulls superbly and to a lesser extent Williams.

Sainz has just said it made things worse and “more manipulated”, but that he was happy that F1 tried it. Fair.

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04:13 PM BST​

Norris’s second win of 2025​

His first since the opening race. That was an important one for him, regardless of the decent points swing he achieved this weekend.

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04:09 PM BST​

What about those who didn’t score points?​

11. RUS
12. BEA
13. COL
14. BOR
15. STR
16. HUL
17. TSU
18. ANT

DNF: ALO, GAS

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04:07 PM BST​

More celebrations from Norris​

The celebrations begin #F1#MonacoGP@McLarenF1pic.twitter.com/HRhE6iHva9

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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04:03 PM BST​

Updated constructor standings​

McLaren are strolling to another constructors’ title. Very close behind them for second now after Mercedes’ pointless weekend.

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04:02 PM BST​

That winning feeling...​

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03:55 PM BST​

Updated driver standings​

Piastri’s lead down to just three points now. Verstappen, who finished fourth, slips a bit further behind Piastri, 25 points to be precise.

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03:55 PM BST​

Lando Norris reacts to victory​

“It feels amazing. It’s a long race, it’s a long gruelling race but good fun. The last corner was a little bit nervous with Charles behind and Max ahead. It doesn’t matter how you win I guess but an amazing weekend... this is what I did dream of when I was a kid.”

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03:53 PM BST​

Is Leclerc happy with second?​

“Not really, but at the end of the day we lost the race yesterday. We should have done a better job. On my side I realised the childhood dream last year... not this year. I thought that being in the top 10 would be a challenge but in the end we are second, very close to P1. It’s been a good weekend but I wish I won.”

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03:51 PM BST​

Piastri reacts to a podium​

“Yeah, obviously the win would have been better but it’s been a bit of a tricky weekend. Practice was messy all the way through... I felt like I got into qualifying with not a lot of confidence. I got close, but not close enough. Obviously some things to look out to when we come back next year. Some points on the board.”

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03:47 PM BST​

Monaco GP - Top 10​

1. NOR 25pts
2. LEC 18pts
3. PIA 15pts
4. VER 12pts
5. HAM 10pts
6. HAD 8pts
7. OCO 6pts
8. LAW 4pts
9. ALB 2pts
10. SAI 1pt

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03:46 PM BST​

LANDO NORRIS WINS THE MONACO GRAND PRIX​

Was it ever in doubt? Probably not once he got around the first corner.

“We did it, we won at Monaco. That’s the dream. Well done guys, unbelievable job. Amazing weekend. Thanks so much,” he says.

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03:44 PM BST​

FINAL LAP​

Norris stretches his lead without Verstappen ahead of him...

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03:44 PM BST​

Lap 77 of 78 - Verstappen is told to pit​

In he comes... Norris assumes the lead and has just one lap to go to complete victory in the Monaco Grand Prix...

Here is the new top 10:

1. NOR
2. LEC
3. PIA
4. VER
5. HAM
6. HAD
7. OCO
8. LAW
9. ALB
10. SAI

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03:42 PM BST​

Lap 76 of 78 - Tsunoda comes in​

I thought it was going to be Verstappen, but it wasn’t. So he will have to stop at the end of this lap... unless Red Bull have discovered some ingenious loophole.

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03:41 PM BST​

Lap 75 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris by 1.6sec​

He needs to stop again to change tyres or he will be disqualified, though. So that means Norris is the net leader. Piastri in fourth now as close to Leclerc in third as Leclerc is to Norris in second.

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03:40 PM BST​

Lap 74 of 78 - Norris making many mistakes, says Leclerc​

I think that’s what he said, anyway. Norris obviously playing this one tactically. Slow at the end of the lap but then charges down the pit straight with a decent gap. One mistake would end it, though...

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03:38 PM BST​

Lap 73 of 78 - At least we have some tension in this race now​

Before we just had frustation and caution. I doubt frustration has entirely dissipated, mind you.

Is there a chance for Leclerc to have a look somewhere?

LAP 73/78

Verstappen Norris Leclerc Piastri#F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/ywTZa7VI66

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

Verstappen now leads Norris by 2.1sec...

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03:36 PM BST​

Lap 72 of 78 - The rest of the top 10​

Hadjar in sixth then Ocon, Lawson, Albon and Sainz in 10th.

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03:36 PM BST​

Lap 71 of 78 - State of play at the front​

1. VER
2. NOR +1.6
3. LEC +1.8
4. PIA +3.4
5. HAM +53.6

Verstappen has to stop again, which makes Norris the net race leader. Unless there is a red flag, then Verstappen can change his tyres free of charge.

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03:35 PM BST​

Lap 70 of 78 - Norris wants help from Piastri​

He needs him to put Leclerc under pressure, he says. “Max is just backing me up, he’s not even pushing,” Norris then says.

LAP 70/78

Our top three are so close!

Verstappen has to pit one more time#F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/uStWvi4eL2

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

Verstappen just desperately hoping for a red flag here. The pressure is on Norris. One mistake could end his race. Concentration must be at 100 per cent.

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03:33 PM BST​

Lap 69 of 78 - Piastri now within 2.6sec of Leclerc​

Verstappen says his left-hand side tyres are dead. 40 laps on the mediums and needs to switch before the end of the race or be disqualified. Norris has now closed right up on him as the Dutchman has lost pace. Almost within DRS range now.

Verstappen does not come in...

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03:31 PM BST​

Lap 67 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris by 1.8sec​

Verstappen still must stop again, so Norris is in effect the race leader. Leclerc hasn’t tried a move, yet...

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03:30 PM BST​

Lap 66 of 78 - Sainz swapping with Albon​

He does it coming out of the chicane, so Albon now ninth and Sainz 10th. A decent afternoon for Williams all in all. Not sure they could have done much more, really.

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03:28 PM BST​

Lap 65 of 78 - Russell stops​

That means Albon is now in the points. Sainz will switch positions by the end of the race, or that is what he has been told.

LAP 65/78

George comes into the pits and puts on a set of mediums. He rejoins in P11 pic.twitter.com/dEuuHxa9b5

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 25, 2025

Leclerc says Norris is slow. He is, a bit. Leclerc 0.6sec behind him. Verstappen 2.5sec ahead of Norris.

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03:27 PM BST​

Lap 64 of 78 - Top 10​

1. VER
2. NOR
3. LEC
4. PIA
5. HAM
6. HAD
7. OCO
8. LAW
9. SAI
10. RUS

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03:26 PM BST​

Lap 63 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris​

Verstappen is just going to stay out in the hope of a red flag or SC.

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03:25 PM BST​

Lap 62 of 78 - Antonelli still hasn’t stopped​

Russell in 10th needs to come through the pits twice more.

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03:24 PM BST​

Lap 61 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris by 1.6sec​

Norris not exactly on the rear wing of Verstappen. Leclerc is much closer to Norris but I doubt Norris is especially keen to get much closer to Verstappen.

Sainz is told that he will need to switch places with Albon towards the end of the race. He is OK with that, because that is how Williams have played this strategy. They’ve done pretty well, really, helped by Alonso’s retirement.

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03:22 PM BST​

Lap 60 of 78 - Here’s the top five​

These are the only cars on the lead lap:

1. VER
2. NOR +1.4
3. LEC +1.8
4. PIA +7.8
5. HAM +51.4

Piastri catching the Norris/Leclerc fight for second.

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03:20 PM BST​

Lap 59 of 78 - Is this race a bit of a farce?​

Hmmm. I will reserve judgment until a little while after the chequered flag but this certainly doesn’t feel good to me. At least they tried something different, but I doubt it will be repeated next year in the same form.

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03:19 PM BST​

Lap 58 of 78 - Leclerc just 1.3sec behind Norris​

Leader Verstappen needs to stop again but may as well just stay out in case there is a red flag or Safety Car to improve his chances. If he stops now he’d be behind Piastri and in fifth but has two pit stop’s worth of time ahead of Hamilton in fifth.

Verstappen may well back up Norris into Leclerc now and see what happens.

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03:17 PM BST​

Lap 57 of 78 - Hamilton stops for a second time​

He has an age of time before Hadjar behind him, who has been lapped. Hamilton stays fifth.

LAP 57/78

Hamilton emerges from the pits after his second stop for fresh rubber

TOP 5
Verstappen (1 stop)
Norris (2)
Leclerc (2)
Piastri (2)
Hamilton (2)#F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/YMgRVkl9Nf

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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03:17 PM BST​

Lap 56 of 78 - Sainz and Russell stop​

Russell’s first, Sainz’s second. Albon behind in 11th. Russell has one more stop to make and a drive-through penalty.

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03:15 PM BST​

Lap 55 of 78 - Top 10 and gaps​

1. VER
2. NOR +2.5
3. LEC +5.1
4. PIA +1.2
5. HAM +21.1
6. HAD +1lap
7. OCO +1lap
8. LAW +1lap
9. SAI +1lap
10. RUS +1lap

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03:14 PM BST​

Lap 54 of 78 - Antonelli cuts the chicane this time​

Gets ahead of Albon but then gives the place back later on. He nearly hit the barrier.

Russell still hasn’t stopped so has to have a drive-through penalty and two pit stops. He is informed of this and says “To be honest, I prefer not to speak”.

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03:13 PM BST​

Lap 53 of 78 - Penalty for Russell!​

It’s a drive-through for the Mercedes driver for passing Albon at the chicane. He said he’d take the penalty but he didn’t expect it to be a drive-through, I am sure.

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03:12 PM BST​

Lap 52 of 78 - Verstappen now leads​

Norris has just stopped. Verstappen needs to stop again.

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03:11 PM BST​

Lap 51 of 78 - Russell being investigated​

Rightly so. Not quite sure if it was intentional. Russell says he was avoiding a collision, but was he? Said he’d take the penalty because Albon was driving “erratically”.

LAP 51/78

Russell overtakes Albon by cutting across the Nouvelle Chicane

He's told to give the place back but he says he'll take the penalty#F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/QQZLXMM7Z0

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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03:10 PM BST​

Lap 50 of 78 - Russell goes straight through the chicane​

Will he have to give that place back? Or was it actually a calculated effort? He otherwise will get a 10-second penalty but Albon is driving around three seconds a lap slower than he could so within three laps or so he will have negated that and gained a poisition. Albon is, of course, backing the pack up to help his team-mate.

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03:08 PM BST​

Lap 49 of 78 - Piastri pits again​

He comes out 2.7sec ahead of Hamilton and 18.6sec behind Verstappen, who has to stop again.

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03:07 PM BST​

Lap 48 of 78 - Russell not happy​

“He’s driving dangerously slow, just slamming on the brakes in all areas,” he says of Albon. Albon was 3.2sec slower than his team-mate the last time around. Intentionally so.

Norris has this gaggle of cars to lap for a second time...

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03:06 PM BST​

Lap 47 of 78 - Only two retirements so far​

Gasly, who ran into the back of Tsunoda. And Alonso, with a mechanical issue, leaving him pointless for the 2025 season.

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03:05 PM BST​

Lap 46 of 78 - Sainz’s gap building​

He is now eight seconds ahead of Albon. 22 seconds or so means he will get out ahead of his team-mate.

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03:04 PM BST​

Lap 45 of 78 - Norris lead leclerc by 6.1sec​

Piastri is 15.4sec behind his team-mate.

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03:03 PM BST​

Lap 44 of 78 - Piastri slids into the barrier at turn one​

He taps it with his rear-left tyre. He carries on, though. Meanwhile, Albon has let Sainz ahead of him which means Albon is going to back the pack up so that Sainz can get a move on ahead and get a cheap(er) pit stop. Returning the favour.

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“This isn’t how we like to go racing, but it’s what the rules have created,” says James Vowles.

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03:01 PM BST​

Lap 43 of 78 - Top 10 and gaps​

1. NOR
2. LEC +5.8
3. PIA +13.6
4. VER +15.8
5. HAM +33.2
6. HAD +1lap
7. OCO +1lap
8. LAW +1lap
9. ALB +1lap
10. SAI +1lap

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03:00 PM BST​

Lap 42 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 5.4sec​

Not a great deal of action at the top. Or anywhere in the field, really. Still Sainz, Russell and Antonelli stay out. They need to make two tyre changes in the next 35 laps...

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02:59 PM BST​

Lap 41 of 78 - Lawson and Albon pit​

They were close on track and they remain in the same order. Strange that Williams did not stay out, really. He has now eliminated the prospect of an undercut and will be very unlikely to pass Lawson on track.

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02:58 PM BST​

Lap 40 of 78 - Double points for Williams​

So far, anyway.

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02:56 PM BST​

Lap 39 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 5.0sec​

Piastri is a further 8.4sec behind. Norris told to up the pace.

Only three cars have yet to stop: Sainz, Russell and Antonelli in 10th, 11th and 12th.

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02:54 PM BST​

Lap 38 of 78 - I’ve jinxed Alonso...​

Sorry.

Alonso has pulled out of the race, towards the end of the lap, finding the escape road on the outside of Rascasse. So no need for a safety car.

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02:53 PM BST​

Lap 37 of 78 - Alonso on for his first points of 2025​

Putting in the laps down by the harbour. ️

Fernando's P6, Lance is P16.#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/EkycmmZ0W0

— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 25, 2025

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02:52 PM BST​

Lap 36 of 78 - Never thought I’d say this but...​

Bring on Spain next week. Sainz is now the blocker in the midfield. I think this is a better race than last year, but it is certainly harder to follow and slightly more farcical. We are only at half-distance, though.

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02:51 PM BST​

Lap 35 of 78 - Here is the top six and gaps​

1. NOR
2. LEC +6.2
3. PIA +12.4
4. VER +14.9
5. HAM +24.4
6. ALO +50.4

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02:49 PM BST​

Lap 34 of 78 - Norris stretches his lead over Leclerc to 6.5sec​

We need something to spice up this race, unfortunately.

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02:49 PM BST​

Lap 33 of 78 - Albon pits​

Lawson has also pitted and the Williams comes out behind him and in 10th place. Lawson is then lapped.

I am not sure this minimum-three-tyre strategy is helping the race this year.

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02:47 PM BST​

Lap 32 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 5.8sec​

Norris getting some of that time he lost back.

“Ah my shifts feel like the Monaco Grand Prix 1972,” Verstappen says. Jean-Pierre Beltoise won it that year for BRM. His one and only F1 grand prix victory.

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02:45 PM BST​

Lap 31 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 3.2sec​

Norris lost two seconds lapping cars the last lap. He has now lapped both Mercedes cars in 12th and 13th. Not a good weekend for the Silver Arrows.

“Ah, this is a joke,” Leclerc says. I assume he is now complaining about the backmarkers, who are fighting with one another.

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02:44 PM BST​

Lap 30 of 78 - Norris lapping backmarkers​

Or trying to... he complains that there are no blue flags. Bearman goes aggressively over the kerbs towards the end of the lap. That looked painful. Not quite sure why it happened. Oh, he had a big slide at the rear.

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02:42 PM BST​

Lap 29 of 78 - Norris back into the lead​

Everyone in the top eight has now stopped at least once.

Here is that top eight:

1. NOR
2. LEC
3. PIA
4. VER
5. HAM
6. ALO
7. HAD
8. LAW

Gasly the only retirement.

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02:42 PM BST​

Lap 28 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris by 5.8sec​

Verstappen struggling for pace at the moment... he was 1.7sec slower than Norris on the last lap. He does dive intot he pits eventually. Will he stay out ahead of Hamilton? Yes. But he is behind Piastri.

LAP 29/78

Verstappen into the pits for the first time

He surrenders the lead to Norris and returns to the track in P4 #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/B4Se3bAJxF

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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02:40 PM BST​

Lap 26 of 78 - A lot of teamwork going on​

One driver backing up other cars in order to give their team-mate an advantage. Racing Bulls tried it with Lawson for Hadjar and McLaren tried it a bit with Piastri. It’s making the race a little silly, I think. But what can you do with a race like this where overtaking is almost impossible?

LAP 25/78: Pit-stop watch

Leader Verstappen now has back markers to contend with #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/iJf1y4tpb0

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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02:38 PM BST​

Lap 25 of 78 - Top 10​

1. VER
2. NOR
3. LEC
4. PIA
5. HAM
6. ALO
7. OCO
8. HAD
9. LAW
10. ALB

Lawson, Albon and Verstappen have yet to stop in this group. Hadjar has stopped twice and everyone else has pitted once.

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02:37 PM BST​

Lap 24 of 78 - Verstappen leads Norris by 10.5sec​

Verstappen has yet to pit and Norris has stopped once. Piastri in a bit of a pickle here. Well, the first stint didn’t really work out for him, in other words.

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02:35 PM BST​

Lap 23 of 78 - Drivers who do not need to stop again​

Bearman and Hadjar. Hadjar is eighth, but 34sec behind lead Verstappen. A good chance for him to pick up points.

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02:34 PM BST​

Lap 22 of 78 - Leclerc pits from the lead​

Is it a good stop? Pretty swift, yes, two seconds flat. Piastri has good pace. Leclerc comes out behind Norris but 2.5sec ahead of Piastri.

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02:33 PM BST​

Lap 21 of 78 - Leclerc leads Piastri by 5.4sec​

Verstappen might have the gap to pit and come out ahead of Norris, but no action in the Red Bull garage.

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02:32 PM BST​

Lap 20 of 78 - Norris comes out in fourth​

That means Leclerc leads the race from Piastri and Verstappen. Hadjar pits again for a second time, getting rid of a soft set of tyres. Just four laps that was and he is onto the hard tyres and means he can go to the end of the race. He’s still ahead of his team-mate Lawson, who was doing a very good job of holding people up.

Piastri stops but it’s a slow one! 3.8sec, so losing around 1.5sec. That gives Verstappen a chance to leapfrog. He will need to push like hell on his out lap and gets that instruction. Slow on the rear-left tyre...

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02:30 PM BST​

Lap 19 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 3.4sec​

Leclerc puts in the fastest first sector but Norris was nearly half a second faster at the end of the last lap. At the end of this lap Norris pits from the lead.

LAP 19/78

Our race leader pits! Norris returns to the track in P4 #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/XZ8pbdPftc

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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02:29 PM BST​

Lap 18 of 78 - Alonso incandescent with rage on the radio​

He is told to push: “I. CAN’T. PUSH. NOW!” he replies. Okayyy....

Bearman pits for a second time and goes onto the mediums meaning he can go to the chequered flag if he wants to. Hamilton pitting at the end of this lap.

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02:27 PM BST​

Lap 17 of 78 - A few stops​

Alonso and Ocon. Gasly the only retirement so far.

Hamilton asks “what do you need from me?!”. He is told to push because “it’s our race”. Hamilton has some clean air, 6 seconds or so behind Verstappen.

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02:26 PM BST​

Lap 16 of 78 - Top 10 and gaps​

1. NOR
2. LEC +2.9
3. PIA +6.0
4. VER +8.5
5. ALO +14.9
6. HAM +15.0
7. OCO +18.1
8. HAD +32.1
9. LAW +41.7
10. ALB +42.5

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02:26 PM BST​

Lap 15 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 2.4sec​

He has got a move on at the front. Hadjar has pitted and has come out in eighth, ahead of Lawson. He is now on the soft tyres.

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02:23 PM BST​

Lap 14 of 78 - Hulkenberg has stopped​

Colapinto now stops and changes to the medium tyres.

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02:22 PM BST​

Lap 13 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc by 1.2sec​

Piastri a further 3.8sec behind.

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02:21 PM BST​

Lap 12 of 78 - Top 10​

1. NOR
2. LEC
3. PIA
4. VER
5. HAD
6. ALO
7. HAM
8. OCO
9. LAW
10. ALB

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02:19 PM BST​

Lap 11 of 78 - Pit lane is closed​

Gasly struggled to come to a halt but he eventually does. He is yet to move from that and back to his garage, which means he is blocking the pit lane. Verstappen complaining about Piastri chopping him off somewhere. Didn’t see all of it on TV.

We are about to begin racing again...

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02:18 PM BST​

Lap 10 of 78 - The crash was at the chicane​

YELLOW FLAG!

Gasly goes into the back of Tsunoda! pic.twitter.com/sbaBq0jT2e

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 25, 2025

He locked the rear brakes and smashed into the back of Tsunoda and then carried on over the chicane, nearly taking out his team-mate. “Is he an idiot, what he is doing?” Tsunoda says on the radio. Wouldn’t be surprised if that caused a significant amount of damage to the back of the Red Bull.

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02:17 PM BST​

Lap 9 of 78 - Gasly went into the back of Tsunoda​

Gasly is out of the race.

There is debris all over the track. Verstappen is all over the back of Piastri in third.

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02:16 PM BST​

Lap 8 of 78 - Gasly in the barriers​

His front left is hanging off...

Gasly is crawling around after colliding with Tsunoda at the Nouvelle Chicane

He's out of the race #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/puMD5RDhQF

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

He should be able to get back to the pit lane but he shouldn’t be able to carry on like this. But still he does.

Only yellow flags at the moment...

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02:14 PM BST​

Lap 7 of 78 - Piastri backing the pack up a bit here?​

He’s lapping two seconds slower than Norris. This is all because Tsunoda has pitted early and is running with decent pace. It’s a game of chess among the teams.

In 20th, Bearman has the fastest lap of the race which was 2.7sec faster than leader Norris. My head hurts already trying to work this out. Bearman has a lot of clean air because he stopped on the first lap and it was a very, very slow stop.

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02:12 PM BST​

Lap 6 of 78 - Norris with the fastest lap​

A fair bit faster than Leclerc, really.

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02:12 PM BST​

Lap 5 of 78 - We are under way again​

Norris has already built a fairly decent 1.5sec lead over Leclerc, who is then 3.1sec ahead of Piastri, who has dropped back. Interesting.

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02:11 PM BST​

Lap 4 of 78 - Think we will be racing shortly​

Fingers crossed.

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02:08 PM BST​

Lap 3 of 78 - Order as it stands​

Here is the top 10:

1. NOR
2. LEC
3. PIA
4. VER
5. HAD
6. ALO
7. HAM
8. OCO
9. LAW
10. ALB

Lawson in fact on medium tyres, not softs as first stated. Doesn’t look like there’s much debris at Portier now.

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02:08 PM BST​

Lap 2 of 78 - Norris leads Leclerc under VSC​

Bortoleto had gone around the outside of Antonelli at the hairpin, but the Mercedes man then returned the favour up the inside at Portier, leaving the Sauber nowhere to go but into the barriers.

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02:06 PM BST​

THE 2025 MONACO GRAND PRIX IS GO!​

It’s a good start for Norris who leads Leclerc but the McLaren driver massively locks up but manages to keep the car going around the corner. Might not be too bad of a flat spot because it’s such slow speed.

LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO!

Lando Norris holds his lead, while Gabriel Bortoleto finds the barriers at Portier! ️ pic.twitter.com/re3qNxvnFk

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 25, 2025

Antonelli goes up the inside of Bortoleto at Portier and the Sauber is in the wall! He manages to reverse out and carry on.

Will anyone stop at the end of this lap?

Norris leads Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Hadjar and Alonso. Tsunoda comes into the pits, as does Gasly and Bearman.

VSC deployed. Must be some debris at Portier.

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02:03 PM BST​

Here we go...​

The first of 78 laps about to get under way. Norris heads Leclerc, Piastri and Verstappen as they form up on the starting grid...

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02:01 PM BST​

The formation lap is under way​

Verstappen, Alonso and Hamilton on the hard tyres in the top 10. Lawson on the softs.

Pole sitter Lando Norris leads the drivers off on the formation lap #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/Dg2v482pZS

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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02:00 PM BST​

A very Monaco grid...​

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That was a crazy start to what could be a crazy race. The grid in Monaco is quite tricky to reach, situated on the far side of the garages, which are on the other side of a bridge over the track from the paddock. The grid was absolutely heaving with slebs. I feared I might not make it back to the media centre in time for the start as I kept getting barged out of the way by bodyguards for Kylian Mbappe, or flunkies around Naomi Campbell.

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01:56 PM BST​

Five minutes until the formation lap​

Predictions? Not really worth doing it here, is it? I think there will be a few curveballs but hard to look beyond a Norris win, ultimately.

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01:50 PM BST​

Fair to say it’s the densest grid of the season​

How many people?! #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/r8xHvDbBfy

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

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01:46 PM BST​

Monaco GP: Starting grid​

1. NOR 2. LEC
3. PIA 4. VER
5. HAD 6. ALO
7. HAM 8. OCO
9. LAW 10. ALB
11. SAI 12. TSU
13. HUL 14. RUS
15. ANT 16. BOR
17. GAS 18. COL
19. STR 20. BEA

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01:41 PM BST​

‘I had a front-row seat for the explosive Senna-Prost rivalry’​

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Thirty-seven years ago, Ayrton Senna produced a qualifying lap of such staggering speed and precision around the streets of Monte Carlo that even he found it hard to believe. The Brazilian later described his performance as “in a different dimension… well beyond my conscious understanding”.

Only a few seconds of the sublime 1min 23.998sec was captured by television cameras, but seeing the numbers in black and white is remarkable. It was not just that Senna was more than 1.4 seconds faster than his McLaren team-mate in second – it was that his team-mate was Alain Prost.

In the race, it was more of the same relentless brilliance. Prost dropped to third behind Gerhard Berger off the line, but by the time he hauled his McLaren back ahead of the Ferrari and started pushing, leader Senna was 50 seconds ahead.

Eleven laps from the chequered flag, the unfathomable happened. Senna crashed at Portier, the final right-hander before the tunnel. He was utterly dejected. Prost took victory, extending his championship lead over his team-mate to 15 points after three rounds.

The mistake was as inexplicable as his otherworldly qualifying lap the previous day. Senna claimed that he lost concentration after being ordered by McLaren team principal Ron Dennis to ease off. One man who believes differently is Steve Nichols, Senna’s race engineer at the time and who spent a decade at McLaren in the 1980s.

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01:38 PM BST​

How fast is each team in qualifying on average?​

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01:33 PM BST​

What is the best strategy for today?​

Pirelli throw their arms up in the air, so it is anybody’s guess... it could be unpredictable and chaotic.

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There is even talk of some cars at the back of the field pitting on lap one to run in clean air and then take advantage of that and have to make only one other change. The theory being that they will be able to catch up to the back of the pack, too, at decent pace. Let’s see...

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01:27 PM BST​

The pit lane is open​

The pit lane comes alive!

Drivers waiting to come out on track #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/lNiSiB07Bk

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2025

A bit of trouble for Bearman, whose Haas team left a cooling fan in his sidepod air inlet. They managed to get it out but it may constitute “working on the car in the fast lane” which could be another penalty. He starts 20th and last already, having been given a 10-place grid penalty...

Speaking of which, Bearman qualified 17th and takes a 10-place grid penalty which drops him just three places. Is it worth considering a rule that drivers should have to serve all of their grid penalty, it carrying over to future events?

So, that would mean if Bearman qualifies 13th or higher, then he drops seven places at the next race. If lower, then he serves as much as he can and the remainder of the penalty rolls over. Because, in effect, Bearman isn’t getting the full extent of his penalty here.

In fairness, you could apply the same to in-race penalties. It could end up being quite confusing.

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01:23 PM BST​

Big old pile up at the start of the F2 feature race​

An early red flag was called in the Formula 2 feature race, where a huge 11-car pile-up eliminated championship leader Alex Dunne. pic.twitter.com/AacXzqfH6X

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 25, 2025

Not quite Spa 1998 levels but it could have been...

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01:22 PM BST​

Current constructor standings​

What a season Williams are having, by the way. A slightly disappointing session yesterday when they looked so competitive.

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01:17 PM BST​

A bad day for Mercedes yesterday​

Both cars out in Q2, though in reality Antonelli was out in Q1 because of a crash at the harbour chicane.

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Once Q2 began it was not long before George Russell went over a bump and lost his electrical supply of power, ending his session. His car ground to a halt in the tunnel.

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Today Russell starts 14th and Antonelli 15th. Points not impossible because of strategy, but unlikely without a bit of luck.

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01:13 PM BST​

Current driver standings​

If they finish where they start then Norris makes up 10 points on Piastri to go within three points of his team-mate. That would be a timely boost as the season enters its busiest period.

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01:09 PM BST​

Why Hamilton was penalised in qualifying​

The moment that caused Lewis Hamilton to be handed a three-place grid penalty #F1#MonacoGPpic.twitter.com/ciUawygAX5

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 24, 2025

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01:05 PM BST​

What is the ‘Monaco rule’ applied in this race?​

After last year’s soporific Monaco Grand Prix, the FIA have introduced a new rule (only for this round) that states a driver must use three different tyre sets (and two different tyre compounds within that) during this race.

Now, that has been widely interpreted as a ‘two-stop’ rule to help create strategic variance and avoid cars pootling along at the front to save tyre and a lack of overtaking and jeopardy. That is clearly the intention, however, it may not be the reality.

In any red flag stoppage, drivers can change their tyres free of choice. So if there is one red flag period, then drivers will only need one in-race pit stop. If there are two then it is possible to not have any in-race pit stops.

It does make the strategy an enormous unknown, though...

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12:53 PM BST​

Times and positions after qualifying​

1. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1m 09.954s
2. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:10.063
3. Oscar Piastri (Aus) McLaren 1:10.129
4. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Ferrari 1:10.382
5. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:10.669
6. Isack Hadjar (Fra) RB 1:10.923
7. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Aston Martin 1:10.924
8. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Haas F1 1:10.942
9. Liam Lawson (Nzl) RB 1:11.129
10. Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1:11.213
11. Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spa) Williams 1:11.362
12. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Red Bull 1:11.415
13. Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Kick Sauber 1:11.596
14. George Russell (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:11.507
15. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Ita) Mercedes GP 1:11.880
16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Bra) Kick Sauber 1:11.902
17. Oliver Bearman (Gbr) Haas F1 1:11.979
18. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alpine 1:11.994
19. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:12.563
20. Franco Colapinto (Arg) Alpine 1:12.597

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12:48 PM BST​

Good afternoon​

Welcome to our live coverage for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, taking place on streets of Monte Carlo. So far it has been an enjoyable and action-packed weekend with numerous crashes, a fair few incidents and some stand-out performances in qualifying yesterday.

When it all came down to it, it was Lando Norris of McLaren who took pole position by just over a tenth of a second from Charles Leclerc. It was Norris’s first pole since the opening round in Melbourne more than two months ago and it was certainly needed. Leclerc had topped every session up to that point but came up just short. Oscar Piastri wasn’t too far away but his weekend has been filled with minor errors and that was again the case in qualifying. The championship leader will start third.

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What looked like a strong qualifying performance from Lewis Hamilton ended up being slightly disappointing. His lap time was good enough for fourth, though he was never really in the battle for pole position. Yet he took a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen in qualifying. He was not the only driver to take a penalty, but if there is one place you don’t want one, it is here.

Elsewhere in the top 10 there were standout performances from Isack Hadjar (6th), Fernando Alonso (7th) and Esteban Ocon (8th). Liam Lawson also did well to sneak into the top 10. Alexander Albon looked like he might challenge for the front row but his Q3 went awry. His fastest time in Q2 (1min 10.732sec) would have been good enough for fifth, were he able to reproduce it in Q3. As it is, he starts 10th.

Max Verstappen, winner last week in Imola, had a strangely distant qualifying with the Red Bull struggling on the softest tyres. He will start sixth but finished more than 0.7sec off the pace of pole-sitter Norris.

The race starts at 2pm BST and we will be here for all the build-up, live action and reaction from it. It could be a Monaco GP like no other because of the new rule the FIA have introduced. More on that shortly...

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