Lando Norris claimed a sensational victory on the streets of Monte Carlo, reigniting his Championship ambitions with a commanding drive in the Principality. The Briton led from the front to secure his second win of the season, holding off a spirited charge from local hero Charles Leclerc, who delighted the home crowd with a podium finish. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri rounded out the top three after a challenging weekend.
Norris’s flawless performance comes as a major boost to his campaign, with the Brit showing both speed and composure in one of the most demanding races on the calendar. The win marks a turning point in what has been a closely contested season. He said,
“It feels amazing. It’s a long race, a long, gruelling race. We could push for the whole race, and we won in Monaco! An amazing weekend with pole, with today. This is what we dream of, this is what I did dream of as a kid.
The worst bit was the end, I felt under control the whole race but Max was backing it up a little bit and I had to manage it, back off Max and push when I needed to.”
For Leclerc, the second-place finish was bittersweet. Despite the celebrations in front of an adoring Monegasque crowd, the Ferrari driver admitted that victory had slipped through his fingers during Saturday’s crucial qualifying session.
“At the end of the day, we lost the race yesterday,” Leclerc conceded. “We should have done a better job. Lando did a better job and he deserves the win. It’s above our expectations here – I thought we would struggle to be in the top 10, so it has been a good weekend. But I wish I’d won.
“Being born here, seeing all the Monegasque behind me is very special. It warms my heart to be at home and have so much support.”
Oscar Piastri, who came home in third, was reflective about his performance, having battled through a difficult build-up to the race.
“Obviously the win would have been better, but it’s been a tricky weekend,” said the Australian. “Practice was messy all the way through. I got into qualifying with not a lot of confidence. I got close but not close enough – and you run around here where you started.
“A podium in Monaco – it’s not all bad. The margins are so fine; if this is a bad weekend, then it’s not going too badly at all.”
World Champion Max Verstappen finished fourth, unable to make significant inroads on a circuit notorious for its lack of overtaking opportunities, while Lewis Hamilton completed the top five in a solid, if unspectacular, drive.
As the dust settles on the glittering streets of Monaco, the Championship race takes on a new complexion — and with Norris back in the mix, the season promises more twists to come.