Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

FP1: Leclerc leads Verstappen and Norris in first Monaco GP practice after early collision with Stroll.
Home favourite Charles Leclerc set the pace during Friday’s opening practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, bouncing back from an early clash with Lance Stroll to lead the way over Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and McLaren racer Lando Norris.
23 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site

With the sun shining down and yachts filling the harbour, the Principality looked resplendent as Formula 1’s 10 teams and 20 drivers gathered for an initial hour-long hit of running around some of the most famous streets in motorsport. Unsurprisingly, plenty of cars were quick to head out at 1330 local time to get a feel for the track conditions – a combination of Pirelli’s soft C6, medium C5 and hard C4 tyres being used across the early installation laps and short runs.

There was some drama only a couple of minutes in when Leclerc locked up and went deep at Mirabeau Haute, but he managed to avoid any damage, reverse his Ferrari out of the run-off area and continue on his way. Leclerc would not be so fortunate a few moments later, though, when he ran into the back of Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin – which had moved aside for another car before coming back onto the racing line – under braking for the hairpin.

‘Leclerc leads Verstappen and Norris’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...G8CEPTzPGrKVNI


F1 Monaco GP 2025 – Free Practice 1 Results
Hometown hero Charles Leclerc was quickest for Ferrari in the first practice session of the 2025 Monaco GP
23 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 Monaco GP 2025 FP1 results
Check out the full Monaco GP 2025 Free Practice 1 results from the first practice session in Monte Carlo below.
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:11.964
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.163
3 Lando Norris McLaren +0.326
4 Alexander Albon Williams +0.350
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.378
6 George Russell Mercedes +0.518
7 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.570
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.705
9 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.726
10 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.763

‘Free Practice 1’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-1-results/


F1 Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc tops traffic-packed FP1 ahead of Max Verstappen
Leclerc tops Verstappen and Norris in traffic-packed first practice session at the F1 Monaco GP, which saw the Ferrari driver collide with Lance Stroll early on
May 23, 2025
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has led the way in first free practice at Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix - despite a late challenge from world champion Max Verstappen. Leclerc set a 1m11.964s around the halfway mark that held until the end as Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris filled the top three, with Williams and Mercedes also looking competitive.

‘Traffic-packed first practice session’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ppen/10725554/


Leclerc/Stroll clash: Everything that happened in Monaco FP1
May 23, 2025
Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

The two McLarens seemed quickest up to pace, initially running on the soft C6 tyre, but neither found all that much time once swapping to the C5s - this weekend's medium. Norris never improved at all, with one flying lap on C5s undone by a Ste Devote off and another through straight-lining the Nouvelle Chicane, but his first-set time proved good enough for third anyway - with only Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen going ahead.

Verstappen ended up 0.163s off the Ferrari driver, and the exact same margin ahead of Norris. Williams's impressive recent form continued with fourth for Alex Albon and seventh for Carlos Sainz. Slotting in between the two were Oscar Piastri (the only driver in the top 12 to set their fastest time on mediums rather than softs) and George Russell.

It was a busy first Monaco session as a Ferrari driver for Hamilton, who was right at the sharp end in the early going on mediums but was markedly less competitive in the C6 portion of his session. He at one point drew the ire of Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson by going slowly through the end of the lap (prompting Lawson's race engineer Ernesto Desideri to derisively describe it as "usual Hamilton stuff")…

‘Everything that happened’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/c...h-with-stroll/


Monaco GP: That Monaco curse? Leclerc crashes and goes quickest in FP1
23 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc’s Monaco curse struck early in FP1 at his home race as he rear-ended Lance Stroll in a mistake from the Aston Martin driver. But back on track after a red flag and quickest overall ahead of Max Verstappen, he’ll be hoping that was it for his Monaco curse. As they began their preparations for a weekend with a little difference, the FIA trialling a mandatory two-stopper, Charles Leclerc‘s home race weekend began with a trip down an escape road, Lewis Hamilton went quickest, and Max Verstappen found himself caught out by traffic.

Leclerc’s troubles continued as he made his way back to the pit lane with a broken front wing, the front left scrapping on the tarmac. His SF-25 had to be fitted with a new nose, and the floor was also damaged. Leclerc rear-ended Lance Stroll when the Aston Martin pulled over to let another car through only to return to the racing line, pulling in front of a charging Leclerc.

Aston Martin: “And Leclerc is there…”
*crash*
Stroll: “I just felt Leclerc crash into the back of me. I didn’t hear you.”

‘That Monaco curse?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco...025-fp1-report


2025 Monaco GP FP1: Leclerc takes to the run-off after locking up at Mirabeau
23 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc was on his first out-lap in first practice when he locked up his brakes at Mirabeau corner and took to the run-off area, before reversing back out on track.

‘Locking up at Mirabeau’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...12425271109904


2025 Monaco GP FP1: Hamilton launches over the kerbs to avoid traffic in first practice
23 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lewis Hamilton launched his Ferrari over the kerbs at the Swimming Pool as he tried to avoid the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli ahead. After a heavy landing, he managed to keep the car out of the barriers.

‘Hamilton launches over the kerbs’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...16566379800851

[Fortitude]

F1 Monaco GP 2025 – Free Practice 2 Results.
Ferrari and Charles Leclerc were again the quickest in practice at the 2025 Monaco GP. Charles Leclerc is the man to beat in Monte Carlo as the hometown hero put his Ferrari top of the Monaco GP 2025 Free Practice 2 results, just ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton third fastest in the second practice session of the F1 weekend in the Principality.
23 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

The Ferrari driver, who also led the morning session, clocked a 1:11.355 around the streets of Monte Carlo, narrowly edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.038s. The second practice session was marked by two red flag interruptions and a flurry of incidents, but Leclerc stayed composed to end the day on top.

Piastri recovered from a crash to secure second, while Lewis Hamilton showed promising pace in the second Ferrari to go third, just a tenth off his teammate. Surprisingly, both Racing Bulls finished in the top six despite further contact for Hadjar, who damaged his car again sliding out of Turn 1. Liam Lawson ended a strong run in fifth, with Hadjar sixth despite his troubled session.

Fernando Alonso placed seventh for Aston Martin, ahead of Alex Albon, Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who found himself frustrated by traffic and track limits throughout the session

‘Free Practice 2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-2-results/


Monaco GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix from the streets of Monte Carlo where Charles Leclerc was the fastest for Ferrari.
24 May 2025
Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Car Lap Diff Laps
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:11.355 32
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren Mercedes 1:11.393 0.038 28
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:11.460 0.105 30
4 4 Lando Norris McLaren Mercedes 1:11.677 0.322 32
5 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls Honda RBPT 1:11.823 0.468 32
6 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls Honda RBPT 1:11.842 0.487 17
7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes 1:11.890 0.535 30
8 23 Alexander Albon Williams Mercedes 1:11.918 0.563 34
9 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:12.002 0.647 32
10 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT 1:12.068 0.713 29

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...ice-2-results/


Everything that happened in Monaco GP's Friday practice
23 May 2025
Pablo Elizalde
r Sport Magazine

Local hero and 2024 Monaco Grand Prix winner Leclerc topped both of Friday practice sessions for Ferrari. Charles Leclerc led Friday practice for the Monaco Grand Prix for Ferrari, barely outpacing Formula 1 championship leader Oscar Piastri.

Leclerc, the winner of the race last year, went quickest by 0.038s from his McLaren rival and a tenth from Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, third fastest today. In an incident-filled hour of running that included two red flags, Leclerc emerged on top with a lap of 1m11.355sec.

‘Local hero’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


2025 Monaco GP FP2: Piastri rips off front wing after hitting the wall at Sainte Devote
23 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Championship leader Oscar Piastri was on a push lap when he went straight on at Sainte Devote and hit the barriers face-on. He ripped off his front wing but was able to recover to the pits, as Race Control threw the red flags.

‘Rips off front wing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...26455777807985


Damon Hill tells the FIA ‘they have to do something’ after ‘dangerous’ Max Verstappen moment at Monaco Grand Prix
23 May 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill says the FIA must take action after Monaco Grand Prix close calls
FP2 could have been a lot worse with Verstappen. He was involved in a near-miss at the Swimming Pool chicane on a hot lap. The 65-time race-winner encountered the Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto going slowly, as well as his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. There could easily have been a crash.

“Mate! Unbelievable!” Verstappen protested over the radio. “These guys! So dangerous! I know it’s only practice, but for me that is unacceptable, that kind of impeding. It’s so dangerous in the Swimming Pool.” This was one of a number of heart-in-mouth moments for the drivers as they navigated the notorious Monaco Grand Prix traffic. Lewis Hamilton also came close to collecting the Alpine of Pierre Gasly at Massenet.

Writing on X, 1996 world champion Damon Hill called for the FIA to take action. “They have to do something about quali and slow cars,” Hill wrote. “It’s too dangerous to have this disparity of speed.”

‘FIA must take action’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...co-grand-prix/


F1 - 2025 Monaco Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript
22.05.25
FIA (Press Release)

Charles, this was a race that went so well for you last year. Just what chance a repeat in 2025? Charles LECLERC: I mean, if you want an honest answer, then low, because unfortunately our car hasn't been particularly strong in low-speed corners. And there’s only low-speed corners here in Monaco. So on paper, it doesn’t look like the most promising track for us. But Monaco is so unique and so different from anything we race on over the season that we can have a good surprise once we put the car down tomorrow – which I hope will happen. And if it does, then I hope to be there on Saturday because qualifying will remain the most important part of the weekend. But on paper, it’s going to be a tough one.

Just give us a little preview of this weekend and whether you think the Alpine will go well. Pierre GASLY: Well, I think as Charles touched on, Monaco is one of those tracks where it's difficult to predict or have a clear idea of where performance is going to be. It’s one of those tracks, as a driver, where you feel like you can have a bigger impact on performance. The car performances are potentially more level compared to traditional tracks. All of that brings good opportunities. On my side, I see a weekend full of opportunities. I’m quite optimistic about what we can do, and I know it can be a great chance for us to get some points. It’s one of my favourite tracks. It’s always worked out quite well around here for me, and I’m looking forward to another year.

Four times in seven races this year you’ve been Red Bull’s top driver behind Max Verstappen. Things are going well. Can you sum up the progress so far? Have you got to grips with a Formula 1 car quicker than you were expecting? Isack HAJDAR: Yeah. I mean, I had doubts at the start of the year. I didn’t have much testing, so I was a bit worried – like, can I handle this car? Is it going to be too fast? But now I don’t have any doubts anymore, and I’ve adapted to it quicker than I hoped for. So far, it’s been going better than I anticipated, which is – for me – I can’t dream of a better start.

General question first of all – Monaco, what makes this event different and special? Max VERSTAPPEN: I think it’s just how difficult the track is to master in qualifying, to get the most out of it. Also knowing that overtaking is difficult on a Sunday, qualifying is even more important. It’s incredibly narrow, challenging, bumpy. The history, of course, of Monaco in general – this is one of these races that you really want to win. It is very special to be racing here. It’s pretty insane, to be honest. But once you stand on the top step on the podium, it’s something where you’re like, “That was a great weekend.” You’re like, “done!”

Question to Alex. Can you describe the feeling of a qualification out there in Monaco? Alex ALBON: Honestly, similar to what Max is saying. I think with these cars and the weight of them around such a narrow track like Monaco, and also with these softer tyres – it sounds strange, but it's actually easy to overdrive. You have to wait for the track to come to you and be quite disciplined in your driving. You don’t want to feel out of control. You can get to a point where you take so much risk that you're just not comfortable and you can’t build on it. What Max is saying about a bit more of a steady approach – when it comes to Q3 and your final lap is when you start pushing the limits of comfortability and you're trading that with technique, lap time, and tire damage. It’s a bit of a mental game around here. It's not just about taking as much risk as you can because it's a street track. There's a skill to it.

We saw improved pace from Sauber last weekend. Do you think that will translate to Monaco this weekend? Gabriel BORTOLETO: I’m not so sure about that. I think Miami we were a bit better. In Q1 we went to Q2 with a bit more margin. Imola was not our best track. We went to Q2, but I don’t want to take any credit out. But at the end of the day, Yuki crashed and Berman got the lap deleted. It was not the best quali pace, but the race pace was a bit better. Unfortunately, we were not able to maximize the opportunities we got, so we didn’t manage to score any points. I think we are making progress, taking steps ahead. Let’s see – in Barcelona, we’re bringing a new package, so maybe that can be a very good thing for us.

‘Drivers Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2025-mon...nce-transcript

[Fortitude]

Monaco GP: Leclerc still on top in FP3 as Hamilton crashes.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed on Saturday a flawless run through free practice ahead of his home Grand Prix in Monaco, laying down in FP3 a clear marker with a late-session flyer that left the field chasing shadows.
24/05/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

With a blistering lap of 1m10.953s, Leclerc outpaced Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by nearly three tenths, solidifying his status as the slight favorite for pole in his home race. The session, however, revealed a tyre conundrum that promises to make the upcoming qualifying a tactical chess match, while a late crash by Lewis Hamilton brought a dramatic close to proceedings.

Under the golden sun of the Côte d’Azur, the final dress reheasal began in rather subdued fashion. Only six drivers took to the circuit in the first 15 minutes as teams played it safe on a street track still waking up from its public overnight access. The early surface slickness added an element of unpredictability that would carry through the session.

Lando Norris and Leclerc traded early top spots before Max Verstappen threw down the gauntlet midway through, clocking a 1m11.233s on the medium C5 compound — a time that, oddly enough, stood firm against the supposedly faster soft tyres. Leclerc answered back, trimming Verstappen’s benchmark to a 1m11.179s — just 0.054s quicker — before a stunning late surge saw him clock a 1m10.953s, stretching nearly three tenths clear of the Red Bull.

‘Leclerc still on top in FP3’;

https://f1i.com/news/539525-monaco-g...n-crashes.html


Monaco GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix from the streets of Monte Carlo where Charles Leclerc was fastest and Lewis Hamilton crashed.
24 May 2025
Speedcafe.com

POS NO DRIVER CAR TIME LAPS
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:10.953 25
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT 1:11.233 23
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren Mercedes 1:11.247 23
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren Mercedes 1:11.398 21
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:11.516 26
6 23 Alexander Albon Williams Mercedes 1:11.668 24
7 30 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls Honda RBPT 1:11.814 33
8 55 Carlos Sainz Williams Mercedes 1:11.893 24
9 22 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT 1:11.952 21
10 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:12.013 23

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...ice-3-results/


Monaco GP: Hamilton bins his Ferrari as Leclerc goes P1 and FP3 raises qualy tyre questions
24 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

With only one hour of practice remaining before the all-important qualifying session, Liam Lawson and Lewis Hamilton queued at the end of the pit lane – as Max Verstappen strolled down to the Red Bull garage. Kimi Antonelli also wasn’t in a hurry to go out, instead chatting to his race engineer Pete Bonnington in the Mercedes garage.

Franco Colapinto put in the opening gambit, 1:15.8, over four seconds slower than Charles Leclerc’s P1 time from Friday. Only five drivers completed timed laps in the opening 10 minutes, with Nico Hulkenberg P1 on a 1:14.0. Ferrari and McLaren joined the action, immediately onto the soft Pirellis, with Lewis Hamilton going quickest, followed by Lando Norris, and then Charles Leclerc.

A 1:12.7 for the local favourite. The Mercedes team-mates and Fernando Alonso were the last drivers to enter the fray, having waited almost a third of the session before going out. Having seemingly figured out how to get the soft tyres to last, Leclerc went quickest with a 1:10.9 while Norris and Piastri improved their times to finish third and fourth fastest. The one driver who struggled was Verstappen, P2 by on the medium Pirellis. Hamilton brought out the red flag with two minutes left on the clock as he binned his Ferrari at Massenet, damaging the front right of the car. The session was not restarted.

‘Hamilton bins his Ferrari as Leclerc goes P1 and FP3 raises qualy tyre questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco...025-fp3-report


2025 Monaco GP FP3: Hamilton hits the wall to bring out the red flags and end the session
24 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

There were just a few minutes left on the clock in final practice when Lewis Hamilton clonked the walls at the Massenet corner to trigger the red flags and bring the session to an early finish.

‘Clonked the walls’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...03774053837203


Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari misery continues as star CRASHES OUT of Monaco GP practice at 175MPH - as team face race against time before qualifying
• Lewis Hamilton crashed out of practice at the Monaco Grand Prix at 175mph
• Ferrari were given just two-and-half hours to put his car back together
24 May 2025
JONATHAN MCEVOY
MailOnline

Lewis Hamilton crashed out of practice for the Monaco Grand Prix at 175mph – giving his Ferrari team two-and-a-half hours to piece his car back together ahead of qualifying. Hamilton, who has won in Monte Carlo three times, was caught out at Massenet as he suddenly saw cars in front him after clearing the crest. He decelerated, lost control, and scraped along the barriers.

‘Damn, hit the wall - sorry, guys,’ said Hamilton to the concerned pit wall. He was running fifth in the timings when he pranged on the congested track.
�� | LEWIS HAMILTON HIT THE WALL#MonacoGP ���� pic.twitter.com/kokIgNfQCR
— La Gazzetta Ferrari (@GazzettaFerrari) May 24, 2025
He pulled up at Casino Square to inspect the damage, which looked repairable in time for qualifying.

‘CRASHES OUT of Monaco GP practice at 175MPH’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ualifying.html


‘That’s stupid’: Nick Heidfeld accuses £2.5m-a-year F1 driver of making a ‘stupid’ excuse for their Monaco Grand Prix incident
24 May 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Nick Heidfeld slams Lance Stroll’s ‘stupid’ excuse for his Monaco GP FP1 crash with Charles Leclerc. Gary Gannon, Stroll’s race engineer, told the 26-year-old Leclerc was close. Yet the Montreal native said he did not hear the radio message after the crash, which saw Stroll miss the rest of FP1 due to rear suspension and gearbox damage. Leclerc had to pit for a new front wing.

But Nick Heidfeld does not buy Stroll’s excuse that he could not avoid a crash with Leclerc in FP1 for the Monaco GP as he did not hear Gannon’s radio message. The former Williams F1 driver claims it is a poor explanation as you must always be aware of traffic in Monte Carlo.

‘Stupid excuse’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nic...prix-incident/


2025 Monaco GP FP3: Hadjar forced to dodge Tunsoda in the tunnel
24 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Isack Hadjar was forced to dodge Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull in the tunnel in final practice in Monaco – bringing back memories of his close shave in the tunnel with Ritomo Miyata in F2 Qualifying last year.

‘Hadjar forced to dodge’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...01182831725202


Helmut Marko criticises Isack Hadjar for showing ‘a lack of intelligence’ after what he heard at the Monaco Grand Prix
24 May 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Helmut Marko criticises Isack Hadjar for calling himself ‘an idiot’ after crashing in practice in Monaco. A bit of oversteer at Sainte Devote saw the left-rear of Hadjar’s VCARB 02 slide as he got on the throttle. The Parisian quickly hit Racing Bulls’ radio to say: “I’m so stupid. I think I’m just an idiot.” But Hadjar’s instant reaction did not impress Red Bull’s motorsport adviser Marko.

“He was good in terms of pace but not right away,” Marko told Motorsport.com. “He hit the barrier and tried to explain it with a lack of intelligence and things like that. He should just concentrate on driving.” Hadjar developed a reputation during his rise to Formula 1 for being very hot-headed on the radio having often berated the Parisian’s team, especially in Formula 2. Even Marko warned Hadjar to keep his cool on the radio when Red Bull promoted him into F1 with Racing Bulls.

‘A lack of intelligence’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/hel...co-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Norris stuns Leclerc to claim pole in thrilling Monaco GP qualifying.
In a breathtaking conclusion to the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying session, Lando Norris clinched pole position with a remarkable final lap, clocking in at 1:09.954.
24 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

McLaren’s Lando Norris delivers a stunning last-lap performance to outpace Charles Leclerc, while teammate Oscar Piastri secures third. This effort edged out local favourite Charles Leclerc by a mere 0.109 seconds, thwarting the Monegasque’s bid for a home pole. McLaren’s dominance was further solidified with Oscar Piastri securing third place, marking a significant achievement for the team on the challenging streets of Monte Carlo.

Leclerc, who had dominated all three practice sessions, seemed poised to convert his pace into pole position. However, Norris’s exceptional final run disrupted those plans, showcasing McLaren’s strategic prowess and the driver’s skill under pressure. Piastri’s performance, placing him ahead of seasoned competitors, underscores McLaren’s formidable presence this season.

‘Norris’s exceptional final run’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-2025-leclerc/


F1 Monaco GP 2025 – Qualifying Results
24 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:09.954
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.109
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.175
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.428
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.715
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.969
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.970
8 Esteban Ocon Haas +0.988
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1.175
10 Alexander Albon Williams +1.259

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/


Charles Leclerc goes berserk over Ferrari team radio at Monaco Grand Prix
May 24, 2025
Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc was furious when pole position at his home Grand Prix was snatched away from him by F1 rival Lando Norris. A scintillating lap put the Monegasque on provisional pole towards the end of Q3, and he stayed there right up until Norris pipped him by just over a tenth of a second.

When Ferrari race engineer Bryan Bozzi informed him that it was second place on the grid, Leclerc shrieked: "NO!" A string of expletives followed before Leclerc ranted about getting caught up in a crowd on his first push lap. "The first lap with this ***ing traffic," he bellowed.

Attending his post-race interview with Sky Sports, and having allowed the dust to settle, Leclerc had a different outlook on what is still a reasonable opportunity to claim his first win of the season - particularly with the mandatory two-stop rule now in place. "There’s always something more to be done, but at the end of the day, this was the best we could do," said the 27-year-old. "I think the lap was really good. The first lap was a bit of a shame because that gives you a bit more confidence for the second run when you have a good first lap.

‘Berserk over Ferrari team radio’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...aco-grand-prix


All-out Norris pips Leclerc to thrilling Monaco GP pole
24 May 2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Monaco Grand Prix, denying home favorite Charles Leclerc in a thrilling Q3 showdown. Norris’ 1m09.954s lap, a new track record, edged Leclerc by 0.109s, marking the Briton’s first pole since Australia. The session was a rollercoaster of tyre tactics, red flags, and Mercedes’ woes, setting the stage for Sunday’s 78-lap mad dash in the Principality.

Norris, who trailed Leclerc after Q3’s second runs, found an extra tenth and a half on his third flyer, capitalizing on his soft tyres’ grip. Leclerc, who had dominated all practice sessions, settled for second, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took third after losing time at Nouvelle Chicane.

‘All-out Norris’;

https://f1i.com/news/539550-all-out-...o-gp-pole.html


Lewis Hamilton Monaco GP grid drop confirmed after Verstappen near miss
24 May 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The verdict reads: “The stewards heard from the driver of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton), the driver of Car 1 (Max Verstappen), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence. “Car 44 was on a slow lap and off the racing line as he was approaching Turn 2. Car 1 was approaching Car 44 on a push lap.”

“The team first informed the driver of Car 44 that Car 1 was on a fast lap. Then they sent another message saying that Car 1 was ‘slowing down’ when in fact Car 1 was always on a push lap and was not ‘slowing down’ as suggested by the team. This resulted in Car 44 speeding up and moving into the racing line of Car 1 entering Turn 3.”

“Car 1 had to react to Car 44 appearing to move into the racing line. This meant that Car 1 had to move off the usual racing line and the push lap had to be aborted by Car 1. We carefully examined the racing line taken by Car 1 in previous laps at the same area and determined that Car 44 did in fact enter the racing line that Car 1 used in previous push laps. This put it beyond doubt that Car 1 was impeded.”

‘Monaco GP grid drop’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-le...pede-monaco-gp


George Russell explains qualifying issue that’s put Monaco F1 GP ‘up in smoke’
24 May 2025
Harry Whitfield
Motorsport Week

George Russell was left frustrated after qualifying for the 2025 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix as an electrical power unit fault in Q2 ended his chances of a top-four result. Heading past the Casino section, Russell’s W16 gave way as he limped around the circuit before coming to a stop in the tunnel.

“Yeah, it [a bump] was definitely the cause, but it was a bump in the straight,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “It’s a bump that’s been there all weekend and a bump that I’ve felt all weekend, but for whatever reason, on this occasion, the whole engine switched off when I hit this bump. Really disappointing because we got ourselves a bit lost this weekend with the set-up and we went back to basics for quali.”

“From lap one, I felt back in the game. Also, Kimi stayed with probably more the set-up he had in FP3; I went back to something that we knew. He was struggling and we were there – I really feel we would have been in the top four today – now, we’re not”.

‘The whole engine switched off when I hit this bump’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...p-up-in-smoke/


Norris beats Leclerc and Piastri to pole with last-gasp lap in Monaco GP Qualifying thriller
24 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris charged to pole position during Saturday afternoon’s Qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix, getting the better of home favourite Charles Leclerc and McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri in a dramatic conclusion to the action. With run plans varying at the end of the Q3 phase, the McLaren drivers managed to extract two laps from their final sets of soft tyres – Norris producing a 1m 09.954s to deny Leclerc, who had briefly held the top spot.

Piastri settled for third, followed by Leclerc’s Ferrari team mate, Lewis Hamilton, who recovered well from his crash in final practice, while Max Verstappen could only go fifth for Red Bull after a tricky Qualifying. Isack Hadjar was one of the stars of the session to put his Racing Bulls machine sixth, ahead of the similarly impressive Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, Haas of Esteban Ocon and team mate Liam Lawson, while Williams’ Alex Albon rounded out the top 10.

‘Last-gasp lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...1mZoCvSevSPJe8


Leclerc ‘proud’ but ‘very frustrated’ after narrowly missing out on Monaco pole to Norris
24 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc: “The first lap was a bit of a shame because that gives you a bit more confidence for the second run when you have a good first lap. I couldn’t have that, I had Sector 2 traffic, but it’s the way it is. I’m just obviously very frustrated. We know that we don’t quite have the car to go for wins this year, but this weekend the car felt good. Starting second here… it’s going to be tricky to take that first place.”

Asked what it is about Monaco’s streets that suits him over one lap, he replied: “I don’t know. I like city tracks in general. I like to really go all into Qualifying and take maximum risks. I think this pays off most of the time. Sometimes it doesn’t pay off. But I’m proud anyway of the result we’ve had today. On paper, it was going to be a very difficult weekend for us. At the end of the day, it’s not that bad.”

“Very frustrated”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...CTmgGul1w2LPDE


F1 Monaco GP 2025 Starting Grid: Norris on pole position
25 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Pos Driver Team
1 Lando Norris McLaren
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull
5 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls
6 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
7 Lewis Hamilton* Ferrari
8 Esteban Ocon Haas
9 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
10 Alexander Albon Williams

‘Starting Grid’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...starting-grid/

[Fortitude]

Monaco GP: Norris wins Monaco GP as pit stop rules fail spectacularly.
Lando Norris beat Charles Leclerc to the Monaco Grand Prix victory in a race of strategy, questionable team tactics and frustration for those who fell foul of it.
25 May 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

While the end result meant a closer title fight with Norris moving to within three points of Oscar Piastri in the Drivers’ standings, Formula 1 has big questions to answer. Lining up on the grid for a mandatory two-stop Monaco Grand Prix, Lando Norris was on pole position with the grid featuring all three Pirelli compounds, including soft tyres for Yuki Tsunoda.

Quick off the line, Charles Leclerc got a run on Norris and pulled alongside with Norris suffering a huge lock-up as he held his line into Turn 1 to keep Leclerc at bay, while Oscar Piastri didn’t have the best getaway but still managed to stay ahead of Max Verstappen. Gabriel Bortoleto went nose-first into the barrier at Portier, crowded into the barrier by Kimi Antonelli. He found reserve and rejoined the action to head to the pits for repairs. Also in the pits were Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly and Oliver Bearman for their first of two pit stops. The VSC was out, neutralising the race.

Russell pitted for the first time on lap 64! His pit stop allowed Williams to swap Sainz and Albon, the latter thanking his team-mate as he overtook him. Russell made his second stop on lap 70. His team-mate Antonelli made his first stop on lap 75! Back at the front, Verstappen led with Norris complaining that he was “backing” him into Leclerc. The Ferrari driver, who couldn’t find a way through, had Piastri on his rear wing. And then Verstappen pitted, on the penultimate lap.

‘Norris wins Monaco GP’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco...ix-2025-report


F1 Monaco GP 2025 – Race Results
Lando Norris was commanding in Monaco and took his first win in the Principality
25 May 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lando Norris McLaren Leader
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +3.131
3 Oscar Piastri McLaren +3.658
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +20.572
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +51.387
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +1 Lap
7 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +1 Lap
8 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls +1 Lap
9 Alexander Albon Williams +2 Laps
10 Carlos Sainz Williams +2 Laps

‘Race Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-race-results/


Lando Norris wins Monaco GP as in-race games frustrate drivers
Lando Norris managed to seal his second F1 victory of the season at a Monaco race that saw two mandatory pit stops.
25 May 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has won the Monaco Grand Prix, triumphing at a rather uneventful occasion at the historic F1 venue. The McLaren driver converted his pole position into victory, with home favourite Charles Leclerc finishing in the runner-up spot.

The leading cars finished well ahead of the midfield back as team games were played, which saw some drivers deliberately back off to give their team-mate a gap to pit into. For the first time ever at Monaco, all drivers were required to make two pit stops which created question marks over the strategies in play.

‘In-race games frustrate drivers’;

https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...strate-drivers


Norris takes victory over Leclerc and Piastri in gripping Monaco Grand Prix
25 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris expertly converted pole position into victory during Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, leading home Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri at the end of an intriguing, strategic race, which saw Max Verstappen hold P1 until the penultimate lap on an alternate strategy. Norris survived a massive lock-up at the first corner before working through Virtual Safety Car phases, spells of traffic and the mandated two-stop rule to score his second win of the season and slash Piastri’s championship lead.

Leclerc applied plenty of pressure at various stages of the race, including that initial run to Sainte Devote and late on when Verstappen backed the pack up, but ultimately had to settle for second, with Piastri – now just three points clear of Norris in the standings – completing the podium. Verstappen ran an off-set tyre strategy that saw the Red Bull driver go much longer across his stints, giving him the race lead into the very closing stages, but he dropped to fourth after completing his required second stop with a lap to go.

‘Norris takes victory’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...DY8UvKMu25Daoa


‘We didn’t put a foot wrong’ – Ocon thrilled with points finish in Monaco GP
25 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon started P8 for Haas in Monaco and managed to finish one place higher. He called it “A really great weekend all around”.

‘We didn’t put a foot wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/we...05558861769534


F1's failed gamble - Our verdict on 2025 Monaco Grand Prix
May 25, 2025
The Race

Formula 1 hoped the mandatory two-stop strategy would spice up the Monaco Grand Prix after years of criticism of the Sunday spectacle reached a crescendo with 2024's 'zero stop' race. But it's fair to say the reality might not have been what F1 had in mind.

Not racing as it's meant to be - Scott Mitchell-Malm.
Exaggerated the worst Monaco tactics - Ben Anderson.
It achieved nothing - Gary Anderson.

Good for the show, not good for the sport - Edd Straw.
Dull and contrived - Josh Suttill.
Maybe just leave Monaco alone - Matt Beer.

‘F1's failed gamble’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f...x-our-verdict/


2025 Monaco Grand Prix – F1 standings after Round 8 of F1 2025 season
25 May 2025
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com

A dream win in Monaco for Lando Norris capped off a bizarre race dominated by all-new pit stop regulations. The McLaren driver survived the strategic chaos behind to win from Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in third.

Victory and the 25 points it comes with has moved Norris to within just three points of McLaren teammate Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship. Max Verstappen remains fourth following his fourth place in the Principality, now a full race win off the top of the standings.

F1 2025 Drivers’ Championship standings
1. Oscar Piastri, McLaren – 161 points
2. Lando Norris, McLaren – 158
3. Max Verstappen, Red Bull – 136
4. George Russell, Mercedes – 99
5. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari – 79
6. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari – 63
7. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes – 48
8. Alex Albon, Williams – 42
9. Esteban Ocon, Haas – 20
10. Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls – 15

‘F1 standings after Round 8’;

https://www.planetf1.com/home-page/f...aco-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

Martin Brundle slams new F1 rule as Max Verstappen fuming at Monaco Grand Prix.
"I’m not liking it, these regulations, I’m not liking it," said Brundle on Sky Sports. "I don’t want to see drivers all the way through the field playing a game.”
May 26, 2025
Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Brundle revealed during the race that he did not like the new rule, which was supposed to create more excitement but ended up doing the opposite. He also suggested that drivers should have been made to pit early on, rather than wait as long as possible. "This is about excellence. This is about the highest point of motorsport and I don’t like to see so many drivers going slowly. I wonder if they should have said: 'You must take one stop in the first half of the race or first third of the race'."

Brundle doubled down on his views after the chequered flag, adding: "It was too chaotic. The focus was on pitting, not on racing, if I can sum it up like that." Verstappen was also frustrated with the pit-stop rules after coming home in fourth place. He insisted that no matter what is done to try and shake things up, overtaking in Monaco will continue to be almost impossible.

"You can't race here anyway so it doesn't matter what you do, one stop or 10 stops," said the Dutchman. "Even at the end I was in the lead, but my tyres were completely gone and you still can't pass. I think nowadays, with an F1 car, you can just pass a Formula Two car around here. I get it, but I don't think it has worked. Honestly, we were almost doing Mario Kart. Then we'll have to install bits on the car, maybe you could throw bananas around [and create] a slippery surface."

“Bananas”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...aco-Grand-Prix


Monaco Grand Prix Talking Points: Pointless pit stops punish fans as Norris' momentum piles pressure on Piastri
May 26, 2025
Oliver van Bronswijk
The Roar

W elcome back to F1 Talking Points after what can only be considered a farcical Monaco Grand Prix. A unique gimmick with a mandatory two-pit stop requirement dominated the headlines as teams deployed near crawling speeds in honour of protecting teammates, but at the front, the championship fight begins to tighten once more.

Racing Bulls and Williams won the strategy battle: Credit where credit is due, Racing Bulls and Williams were on the ball with this new format. Not to say for a second this was good for racing, but the team’s objective is to score points, not make an entertaining race. Racing Bulls in particular, by capitalising on the most important qualifying of the year, put themselves in a prime position to orchestrate their own race.

Mercedes disaster class: Whilst the midfield teams ahead benefited, it was Mercedes that was the biggest loser. A horrific qualifying started with Kimi Antonelli touching the wall and crashing at the Nouvelle Chicane and finished with George Russell suffering an electrical failure in the tunnel. Starting 14th and 15th, it was always going to be tough, but Mercedes uncharacteristically failed to split their strategies, committing both to going long in hopes of a safety car. This never materialised, and to be stuck behind Williams, who were as fast as traffic cones, was enough for Russell to snap.

‘As fast as traffic cones’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/05/2...re-on-piastri/


Monaco Grand Prix investigation demanded as team accused of 'manipulating' results
May 26, 2025
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Williams driver Carlos Sainz called for an FIA investigation as he felt that the outcome of the Monaco Grand Prix was unjust. Lando Norris of McLaren took his first-ever victory at the iconic venue, but Sainz was more frustrated by those in the midfield he was battling with for the majority of the race. Sainz fumed at Racing Bulls for this strategy, pointing out how Liam Lawson deployed it to aid team-mate Isack Hadjar early in the race, an unconventional move that Williams themselves were forced to copy later.

The Spanish driver felt that such racing was "manipulating the outcome a bit" and encouraged the governing body to get involved. "[We were] driving four seconds off the pace at some stages of the race," Sainz said. "Ultimately, we were victims, first from Lawson that managed to lose 40 seconds to Isack, [it allowed] two pit stops that Isack would do in front of us to finish, to do his two pit stops and finish P5.”

"As we were victims of that situation, we had to, in the end, do the same thing as Lawson did both times with Alex [Albon] and myself to make sure we bought the two cars to the points, something I definitely didn't enjoy doing, something definitely the sport should look into. Ultimately, yeah, you're driving two or three seconds off the pace that the car can do. You are ultimately manipulating the race and manipulating the outcome a bit.”

‘Sainz fumed’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...gation-results


Mekies hails “incredible” Hajdar and Lawson after Racing Bulls first double points finish since 2019
26 May 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

On the back of Racing Bulls’ first double point-scoring result since 2019, team boss Laurent Mekies has praised his drivers Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar for their “incredible” performance all through the Monaco GP weekend. “What a brilliant result! It’s hugely rewarding to get both cars into the points at one of the toughest races of the year. Our performance this weekend has been incredibly encouraging.”

“Monaco is one of the most difficult races to manage from every aspect and everyone at the track, with vital support from those back in the factory, was on top of their game. Isack and Liam did not look like they were racing here for the first time in an F1 car and they have been incredible all weekend. Nothing came easily, and everyone had a very intense weekend to improve the car throughout the sessions.”

“Ultimately it allowed us to put both our cars in Q3 yesterday,” Mekies continued. “On a track where the driver really makes the difference, Isack and Liam deserve most of the credit for this result, and with the help of a great race strategy and teamwork from Liam, we got 12 more precious points. Our car is improving and now we go to Barcelona determined to keep fighting at the front of the midfield,” concluded a bullish Mekies.

‘Incredible performance’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26932


Lewis Hamilton “in the middle of nowhere” during Monaco GP
26 May 2025
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

After the first phase of pit-stops, Lewis Hamilton was quite comfortably running in P5 – facing no threats behind and too far back to bother the top four. This, however, did not prevent some confusion between the British driver and his race engineer. With Hamilton effectively running on his own, it would have only taken a few messages for Adami to explain the race status. This didn’t happen though, with Hamilton instead left asking his engineer for the gap to the drivers ahead – only to receive no response.

A few minutes later, the British driver even asked if Adami was upset with him – searching for some clarity on the lack of communication. There was no response to this request, which came during his cool-down lap after the chequered flag. Whilst Hamilton did not want to directly address this issue post-race, he still outlined some of his question marks throughout the GP: “I can’t comment on the rest of the race, for me I was in the middle of nowhere,” he explained to Sky Sports F1.

“I started seventh, was behind two cars for some time, managed to clear them, then I was in no man’s land after that. The gap was relatively big, and I was not racing anyone. I needed a Safety Car or something to come into play, but it didn’t happen. It was pretty straightforward from there. The information [from his race engineer] wasn’t exactly that clear. I didn’t really understand ‘this is our race’. I didn’t know what I was fighting for. Was I fighting for the next spot ahead? But in actual fact, when I looked at the data, I wasn’t anywhere near any of the guys in front.”

“In the middle of nowhere”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ing-monaco-gp/


Horner delighted that Verstappen is within a victory from championship lead before Barcelona regulation change
26 May 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Expanding on Red Bull’s day at Monte Carlo, Christian Horner stated: "We rolled the dice today. It didn’t work and our best chance was a safety car or a red flag or VSC as you’re never going to overtake on track here. We went long with Max and he led a lot of the laps today but ultimately had to take that final stop.”

“For Yuki we did the inverse, and pitted him on lap one, initially it looked like he would get significant benefit from it but then everyone started to drive extremely slowly, as they started playing around with their tactics. He was basically on the same set of tyres for the whole race and did his fastest laps at the end there when he finally got some clear air but it was done by then; an extremely difficult for him today.”

Signing off with a word for the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix, Horner said: “So, damage limitation today. We have only given away three points to Oscar, the Championship leader and we go into Barcelona within a race win and that was the target to hit this regulation change."

"We rolled the dice today”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26937

[Fortitude]

How Monaco GP 'manipulation' began - The full story behind the first strategy call.
It was not pretty but, on a track where overtaking is so difficult, it was effective: use your second car as a roadblock.
May 27, 2025
Jon Noble
The Race

As Racing Bulls' strategists got to work on plotting how best to approach the Monaco GP, this roadblock tactic started shuffling up the order of preference. Some circumstances needed to fall into play for it to happen: the teams' drivers needed to be running quite close to each other and at a decent pace where the car ahead was able to get a move on.

But if that happened then the second car could then act as the buffer to everyone behind; effectively backing off and holding everybody up so a nice gap opened up on the track in front of them. This would then allow the lead driver to drop into that gap after their pitstop. Once there, you swap positions, allow the second car to get its free pitstop. Then rinse and repeat the process.

As Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies said, the idea was firmly on the table before Monaco and it got hardened up immediately once Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson qualified relatively close to each other in fifth and ninth on the grid. "It was certainly one of the preferred strategies," Mekies told The Race. "The guys have been doing a very, very good job already in the past few weeks when they dug into the Monaco uniqueness with these new regulations.”

‘Roadblock tactic’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...ulation-began/


GPDA Chairman pitches plans to improve F1 Monaco GP
May 27, 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Despite the minimum two pitstop rule implemented by the FIA, the race saw just two on-track overtakes, two less than last year. It has once again reopened the yearly debate as to whether the circuit, which has now hosted 82 Grands Prix, has any relevance in modern day F1.

The first part of the circuit the 51-year-old outlined was the Nouvelle Chicane, and moving it around a third of the way between its current spot and the following left-hander, Tabac.
The second alteration would be a revised profile of the Rascasse corner, the penultimate on the circuit, moving the apex of the corner a few yards out from its current position.
The third and final suggestion made would be to widen the entry and exit points at the Fairmont hairpin, opining that drivers will be more likely to attempt to daring overtake.

Wurz’s detailed plan may be music to the ears of Christian Horner, who reiterated to media, including Motorsport Week, his own views on the track changing. The Red Bull boss said that F1 “needs to move with the times,” adding it would be “really cool to have at least one area where there was a chance of an overtake.”

‘The race saw just two on-track overtakes’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-f1-monaco-gp/


Ten ways to fix the Monaco: From joker laps to cancellation
27 May 2025
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

After the newly-announced mandatory two-pit stop strategy in Monaco failed to create an unpredictable race, fans and pundits have continued to wonder if we can’t do more to “fix” the Monaco Grand Prix? We’ve taken a look at some of the biggest theories and ideas.

Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 1: Turn it into an exhibition race
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 2: Mandate the use of all three tyre compounds
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 3: Create Monaco-specific regulations
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 4: Improve braking zones
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 5: Emphasize qualifying or introduce time trials

Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 6: Add a joker lap
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 7: Force a wet race
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 8: Design the cars for Monaco
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 9: Get rid of it
Monaco Grand Prix fix No. 10: Get over it

‘Biggest theories and ideas’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/te...aco-grand-prix


Martin Brundle picks out what two teams did during Monaco GP and claims it's 'not what F1 stands for'
27 May 2025
Ben McCrum
SPORTbible

The Sky Sports Formula One legend has had his say on the controversial race strategy. Despite promising an exciting race due to the implementation of a mandatory two-stop strategy, the race was a huge disappointment as several teams deployed a controversial strategy.

Brundle clearly wasn't a fan of the strategy, as in his post-race piece for Sky Sports, he wrote: "Now of course it's highly usual for the leader to go slowly and in fact back up all 19 cars in the early stages here, so that nobody has a pit stop window, before gassing it at some point to create their own pitting opportunity.”

"Instead, we saw selected cars four seconds off the pace with a frustrated queue behind them. Not pretty, or impressive, but effective for some. But hardly what F1 stands for. The two-stop experiment didn't work. We simply have to manage expectations for race day, do our best to slightly ease overtaking if possible, recognise that Monaco qualifying is one of the most special hours of the F1 or any sporting season, or not race there, which is not an option."

‘Controversial race strategy’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/martin...74390-20250527


Lando Norris criticises media after major Monaco victory: 'It's all crap'
Prior to Monaco, Lando Norris had not claimed a pole position or victory since the season-opener, with his mistakes having been reported on by world media.
26 May 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

"Yeah, people can write what they want. It’s not up to me," said Lando Norris. "People have their own opinions, they can do all of those things. Thing is, none of them are true, 99% of the time. So, it’s all crap. I don’t mind what people write as long as I know the truth and my team know the truth, and that’s fine. I’ve been working hard over the last few months to get back to having that momentum that I had in Australia, that confidence.”

"What I felt this weekend was a small step forward, but it’s not it. It’s not like I’ve nailed it now and everything’s back. There are still things that I need to work on, there are still things that – as a team – them giving me the equipment – and I don’t mean just making a quicker car, because the car’s quick enough – but giving me the things I need from the car in order to excel and maximise results, and the differences from last year to this year.”

"So, still things from both sides, but I’m very proud of [pole]. I’m happier with Saturday’s result than I am of [the win]. I mean, it's incredible, but I was more emotional [after qualifying] than I was [after winning]."

'It's all crap';

https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...y-its-all-crap


‘Rumours’ now swirling around the F1 paddock about something Ferrari did behind the scenes at the Monaco Grand Prix
27 May 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Journalist Christian Hewgill heard something in the Monaco paddock that suggests Ferrari made an extra effort to be competitive at the 27-year-old’s home race. Hewgill was speaking on The Fast and The Curious Podcast in the aftermath of the Monaco Grand Prix after watching Leclerc achieve his best result of the season.

He explained: “Let’s talk about Ferrari because Charles Leclerc came into this weekend saying it’s going to be a disaster. It is going to be awful. We’ll be lucky if we get the car to move at all. It’s the world’s slowest machine. We might as well be driving a shopping trolley. Some of these quotes have been made up, but he wasn’t far off.”

“And actually, all right, maybe Ferrari turned their engine up a bit to really give it some in Monaco. That’s some rumours that we’ve been hearing. But regardless, Lewis got a bit unlucky with his grid penalty, obviously. But Charles P2, that’s surely as good as Ferrari could have hoped for this weekend, isn’t it really?”

‘Rumours’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rum...co-grand-prix/


Adrian Newey launches McLaren MCL39 inspection on Monaco GP grid
27 May 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Adrian Newey is renowned for going on the prowl with his trusty notebook in hand on the starting grid ahead of each race, taking the opportunity to assess the designs of rival teams. And PlanetF1.com’s on-the-ground reporter Thomas Maher spotted the moment the McLaren MCL39 of Oscar Piastri caught Newey’s attention ahead of the race in Monaco, with the Aston Martin man studying the car intently.

Newey was later spotted in conversation with Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, with whom he worked closely during his near two-decade stint at Milton Keynes. Horner had quipped earlier in the Monaco GP weekend that he was struggling to adjust to the sight of Newey in green Aston Martin uniform, likening the F1 genius to “a giant bogey.”

‘On the prowl with his trusty notebook in hand’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...monaco-gp-grid

[Fortitude]

Ferrari denies friction between Lewis Hamilton and engineer amid tense Monaco exchange.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur has denied that there is friction between Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer after a tense exchange in the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Taylor Powling
MotorSportWeek

Fred Vasseur has dismissed the notion that there is a problem with how Hamilton and Adami, who worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz, communicate. “Because when the driver is asking something between Turn 1 and Turn 3, we have to wait [until] the tunnel to reply, to avoid to speak with him during the corners,” Vasseur explained to media including Motorsport Week.

“It’s not that we are sleeping, it’s not that we are having a beer on the pit wall. It’s just because we have a section of the track where we agreed before to speak with him, and honestly it’s not a tension that the guy is asking something, he’s between the wall, he’s under pressure, he’s fighting, he’s at 300 kph, he’s keeping the edge between the walls and I’m perfectly fine. When I spoke with him after the race he was not upset at all.”

‘Ferrari denies friction’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...naco-exchange/


New Lewis Hamilton evidence surfaces after tense Monaco GP team radio
27 May 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Hamilton cut a confused figure after the race, admitting that he “didn’t really understand” a radio message from Adami with the communication “not very clear.” The relevant interaction came on Lap 17 of 78, one lap before the first of Hamilton’s two mandatory pit stops, when the driver asked: “What do you need from me?”

Adami replied: “And push now. This is our race.” It is believed that Hamilton took Adami’s response – specifically the suggestion that “this is our race” – as an indication that he was in the fight for victory in Monte Carlo. However, PlanetF1.com understands that Adami meant that Hamilton would not be used by the Ferrari pit wall to assist Leclerc’s victory hopes and was therefore free to run his own race.

Hamilton admitted to being surprised to see his deficit to the leaders after the race, having been under the impression from Adami’s message that he was closer to the front of the field. He told Sky F1 on Sunday in Monaco: “’This is our race.’ I didn’t know what I was fighting for. Am I fighting for the next spot ahead or [something more]? But in actual fact, when I look at the data, I wasn’t anywhere near any of the guys up front. So I used up my tyres a lot in that respect, in that moment, but I was so far away from them anyway.”

‘Confused figure’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...p-evidence-new


‘Have I been dead slow the whole race?’ Full radio from Hamilton’s frustrating Monaco GP
26th May 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The final message broadcast from Lewis Hamilton to his race engineer Riccardo Adami at the end of Sunday’s race was: “Are you upset with me?” The pair had little to celebrate after the Monaco Grand Prix, even though Hamilton had moved up two places to finish fifth. That was still one place lower than he originally qualified. He’d taken a three-place grid penalty for holding up Max Verstappen during Q1, largely due to Adami incorrectly informing him that Verstappen was not on a flying lap.

After picking up a couple of places early in the race, Hamilton lost touch with the leading group of four cars. The timing of his pit stops meant he encountered a lot of traffic and, as in previous races this year, he often pressed Adami for information he wasn’t receiving. The mutual frustration grew as Hamilton dropped further behind and his requests for information occasionally went unanswered. That appeared to include Hamilton’s final query.

‘Full radio’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/05/26/...ing-monaco-gp/


Experts call for ousting of Hamilton's race engineer
MAY 26, 2025
GrandPrix.com

While the team surprised itself with Charles Leclerc's impressive pace, seven time world champion Hamilton was dozens of seconds behind. When asked if he knows why the gap was so big, the 40-year-old answered simply. “Nope,” Hamilton said. “It happens.”

Former F1 test driver Ho-Pin Tung, however, thinks the time has come for Ferrari to consider giving Hamilton a new engineer. “He worked with Peter Bonnington for a long time, because the engineer is the most important person in the team for the driver,” he told Viaplay. “That relationship has to be very good. If not, it simply costs performance.”

Another Viaplay analyst, GT3 driver Indy Dontje, went a step further: "Things weren't going well between Adami and Carlos Sainz either. I think he should go. He now has a seven time world champion in the car, and he expects something from you. Adami just doesn't perform. Hamilton can expect to have the best of the best. Vasseur replaced Charles Leclerc's engineer at Ferrari,” Dontje added. “I don't understand why they don't intervene now. Hamilton should be able to demand that.”

‘Ousting’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/exper...-engineer.html


“Are you upset with me?” – What happened between Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer in Monaco?
Lewis Hamilton complained radio communication “wasn’t that clear” after another race in which tensions rose between the Ferrari driver and engineer Riccardo Adami
May 27, 2025
Stuart Codling Emily Selleck
Motorsport.com

The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix was yet another race that left Ferrari in fire-fighting mode afterwards, owing to apparent tensions in radio traffic between Lewis Hamilton and his engineer. Leclerc might have been hoping for better after challenging for pole on Saturday, and Hamilton certainly was as he lost three grid positions due to a penalty for impeding Max Verstappen at Massenet during Q1.

The incident, caused by the team misinforming him about Verstappen’s approach, set in motion a chain of events that led him to getting “stuck in no man’s land” during the race. What’s more, it also brought more peevish-sounding radio exchanges between Hamilton and race engineer Riccardo Adami to the fore.

The most peculiar exchange came after the race, not during it. “It's a P5,” said Adami on the radio on the cool-down lap. “Lost a lot of time in traffic. The rest we need to investigate. And pick up [spent tyre rubber] please.” Lewis Hamilton: “Yeah, big thank you to the boys, as I said, for fixing the car [after Saturday’s practice crash],” replied Hamilton. “It’s not been the easiest of weekends, but we live to fight another day, so… yeah.” Radio silence then followed, broken by Hamilton asking, “Are you upset with me or something?” – to which he also received no reply.

‘Fire-fighting mode’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/l...naco/10727041/


Ferrari publicly respond to Lewis Hamilton's tense radio messages with engineer during Monaco Grand Prix
26 May 2025
Ben McCrum
SPORTbible

Ferrari have spoken out in response to Lewis Hamilton's controversial radio conversations during the Monaco Grand Prix amid reports of tension with his race engineer. On Sunday, a relatively uneventful Monaco Grand Prix was made more exciting as Formula One legend Hamilton appeared to once again clash with his Ferrari race engineer.

Since his arrival at Ferrari at the beginning of the season, the Brit has been heard exchanging several angry comments with Riccardo Adami over the radio. At Monaco, Hamilton was even heard asking his Ferrari team if they were upset with him after they appeared to ignore him earlier in the race.

But now, Ferrari have officially responded to the events of the tense weekend, as team principal Fred Vasseur has spoken out to explain exactly what had happened. "It’s not that we are sleeping, it’s not that we are having a beer on the pit wall. It’s just because we have a section of the track where we agreed before to speak with the drivers. Honestly it’s not a tension that a guy is asking something. He is between the walls, he is under pressure, he’s at 300kph between the walls and I am perfectly fine with it. When I spoke to him after the race he was not upset.”

"It’s not that we are sleeping”;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/lewis-...28910-20250526


Fred Vasseur explains Hamilton’s Monaco team radio confusion
26 May 2025
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Ferrari enter make or break sequence: There can be little doubt that last weekend’s radio mishap will be discussed heading into the Spanish GP. However, once the cars hit the track in Barcelona, there will be far greater concerns for the Maranello team. After all, this weekend is the first race where the FIA’s new technical directive will come into play.

Until now, Ferrari have been relatively quiet about how they foresee these changes affecting the pecking order. It has generally been Red Bull who have vocalised their expectations of a potential McLaren decline. Still, with Ferrari’s upgrades to the SF-25 failing to deliver the desired performance, the Spanish GP could be pivotal in determining their prospects for the remainder of 2025.

As teams bring updates in response to the new flexi-wing regulations, the Italian outfit could have a chance to claw back the deficit to McLaren.

‘Far greater concerns for the Maranello team’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...dio-confusion/

[Fortitude]

FIA Insights: Staying ahead of the curve – Why the FIA is stiffening the tests around wing flexibility.
From this weekend in Barcelona, the FIA will impose tougher tests on front wings to match the tightening of tests on rear wings imposed in China and Japan. FIA Single Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis explains why the changes have been made and what they mean going forward.
28.05.25
FIA (Press Release)

At this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, the FIA is introducing a further tightening of the load tests applied to the wings of F1 cars in a bid to address concerns around flexibility and the performance benefits teams might gain through the use of wings that flex under load. Rear wing deformation was initially addressed by the 2025 regulations, in which Article 3.15.17 specified that if 75Kg of vertical load were to be applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as ‘slot gap’) should not vary by more than 2mm.

“The 2025 regulations were designed to counteract the so-called ‘mini-drs effect’ that became quite a talking point in the autumn of last year,” says Tombazis of concerns that rear wings were flexing to the degree that under load a drag reducing gap was appearing between rear wing elements. “That test was applied from the start of the season, but it soon became apparent it was insufficient.”

In a bid to monitor the success of the regulation, cameras were mounted on cars during free practice sessions at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and having analysed the footage the FIA concluded that even tougher tests were needed. At the Chinese Grand Prix, the tolerance was reduced to 0.75mm and at the following race, in Japan, to 0.5mm.

‘FIA stiffening tests’;

https://www.fia.com/news/fia-insight...ng-flexibility


Explained: Why a ‘vigilant’ FIA will enforce different front wing rules from Spanish GP
28 May 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Speaking in the FIA’s preview of the Spanish Grand Prix, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis said, “When championship battles become intense, teams tend to focus on each other’s cars a lot, and naturally they raise concerns and over the latter half of the season we came to the conclusion that we needed to toughen a bit more the tests for 2025. “The 2025 regulations were designed to counteract the so-called ‘Mini-drs effect’ that became quite a talking point in the autumn of last year.

“That test was applied from the start of the season, but it soon became apparent it was insufficient.” But, given the teams competed in the first eight races of the season with front wings that would likely now not pass the new static load tests – a design change that comes with considerable costs – why is it only being enforced now, and not from the start of the year? Over a sequence of races at and following the [2024] Belgian Grand Prix we installed cameras on the front wings of all cars and again we concluded that the tests would need to be toughened,” Tombazis said.

“That conclusion was arrived at quite late in the year, however, and we felt that if we had introduced extra tests at the start of this season, it would have been tough on teams and may have led to existing front wings being scrapped, and extra expense. Therefore, we felt that deferred introduction was more sensible.”

‘Vigilant’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/explai...rom-spanish-gp


Which leading team will suffer the most at the Spanish GP from the latest F1 rule change?
28 May 2025
RacingNews365

There has been significant speculation in the build up to the new regulation being applied from the weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya onwards. In particular, as the leading team, McLaren has been under a spotlight, as it has also been with recent FIA technical directives aimed at tyre and brake cooling measures, where the Woking squad is known to have an advantage.

The anticipation is the papaya outfit will lose some of its performance advantage when the front wing rules are enforced, but team principal Andrea Stella has persistently played down such talk. Meanwhile, rival teams, like Ferrari, has suggested it could be a "game changer", as said by boss Fred Vasseur.

Nonetheless, it remains unclear the extent to the impact - if at all - the new rules will have on the pecking order at the sharp end of F1, and if it will have any substantive effect on pace at all. But it does, however, create an element of intrigue heading into the weekend as to whether any of the top teams will be adversely impacted.

‘Who will suffer the most’;

https://racingnews365.com/which-lead...f1-rule-change


Tech weekly: The impressive McLaren feat that allowed them beat the heat in Monaco
28 May 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Much has been made of exactly where this year’s McLaren is deriving its advantage from – and there’s been a lot of focus on how well it controls its rear tyre temperatures and the part the car’s brake duct design plays in that.

But an advantage in F1 is very rarely about just one golden feature and is invariably about how well designed and integrated the whole car is.

‘Impressive McLaren feat’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...EPXO96eOlsVzs0


How Ferrari has prepared for new ‘game-changing’ F1 rule change
28 May 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Speaking to media, including Motorsport Week, after last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, Vasseur explained that it has been conducting longstanding work on its own front wing in preparation for this race onwards. “I think Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing,” Vasseur said.

“We are working on it for ages now and this can be a gamechanger for everybody, because we don’t know the impact on every single team of the new regulation. I think we stick to this, and we’ll be focused on this to have the better exploitation of the new front wing.” Leclerc spoke of speculation he has heard around the paddock, which is giving him the hope that he will perhaps be able to mount a stronger remaining two-thirds of the season.

“I really hope so, but I don’t know. I don’t know how much the others are using it,” he told Sky F1. “You can hear rumours in the paddock and some people will be more affected than others, for sure. I don’t think on our side is going to change a lot, but we’ll see.”

‘Game-changing F1 rule change’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...1-rule-change/


Red Bull targets Barcelona revival amid flexi-wing rule shift
28/05/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"The front wing [tests] is essentially a regulation change," Horner stated in Monaco, quoted by RACER. "Now, maybe that will have zero impact on the running order but it's a change and it'll affect all the teams; maybe neutrally, but there will be an impact from it." He further elaborated on the significance of this adjustment.

"It's a significant change, and so of course there'll be some effect. The teams have anticipated that, so it may well be neutral or it may have some effect on degradation – it doesn't make life easier." Despite these concerns, Horner remains optimistic about Red Bull's prospects in Spain based on Max Verstappen’s win at Imola.

"Of course you go from seven days ago, we're in Imola and at a higher-speed circuit and the car performed very well. We always knew [Monaco] would expose some of our car's [limitations] – it was never going to be our strongest circuit. So going back to Barcelona I hope that we can replicate closer to what we did in Imola."

‘Flexi-wing rule shift’;

https://f1i.com/news/540054-red-bull...ule-shift.html


Fernando Alonso on home support, Newey and being an ambassador for Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
28 May 2025
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

This weekend is no ordinary weekend; it's your home Grand Prix and you've recently been announced as an ambassador for Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. How does it feel to have that honour and to be racing in front of the Spanish fans once more? "I'm delighted to have become an ambassador for the circuit. I've had huge support racing at it from my early years in Formula One and I've enjoyed victory there too.

"I have amazing memories of the racing at the circuit and sharing those experiences with the Spanish fans, so I have a special connection with the track. I hope I can pass that feeling on to the next generation and help the sport grow even further in Spain. The Spanish Grand Prix is always a special moment in the season for me. Racing at home, hearing the fans chant your name in the grandstands; it's something you never get used to.”

“Every year it's a privilege to come back and compete in front of them. The atmosphere is electric, and the support gives you that little bit extra behind the wheel. The Spanish fans are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about motorsport. There's always been strong support here but in recent years, especially with the popularity of Formula One growing globally, the buzz around this race has been even bigger. It feels as though it's become one of the most popular European races to attend."

‘Ambassador for Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/...ish-grand-prix