Lando Norris fulfilled a childhood aspiration by clinching victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, enhancing his bid for the Formula 1 championship. This win marks his second Grand Prix success after the season opener in Australia, narrowing the gap to his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri from 13 to three points.
Starting from pole position, Norris faced initial pressure from last year’s champion, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, but managed to fend him off throughout the race. “It feels amazing… this is what I dreamt of as a kid,” Norris expressed after his win. Leclerc finished in second, closely trailing Norris late in the race, while Piastri secured third place ahead of defending champion Max Verstappen in fourth and Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
This victory adds to McLaren’s legacy in Monaco, marking their 16th win and the first since Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2008. McLaren’s recent form has them leading the constructors’ standings significantly, having secured six victories from eight races in 2025.
For Piastri, a podium finish once again demonstrates his progress, having achieved third place for the seventh consecutive time. Reflecting on his performance, he stated, “If this is a bad weekend, then it’s not too bad at all.”
While the race was touted to introduce more strategy, it was marred by slow-driving tactics employed by some teams to facilitate pit stops without losing positions, leading to criticism about the lack of overtaking opportunities on Monaco’s narrow streets. The FIA had mandated two tyre changes to drive strategic racing, but many saw this as an artificial approach to increasing excitement.
Drivers like George Russell voiced their frustration, calling out the slow pace as dangerous, and Norris deemed the rule changes an attempt to create “manufactured racing.” Even under pressure, he remarked on the irony of waiting for luck rather than skill to determine the race outcome.
Despite the strategic shifts, results largely remained static. Verstappen, delayed by his pit stop strategy, finished fourth, maintaining his starting position. The team dynamics brought into question the disparity of race regulations, with Russell serving a penalty for cutting a chicane to overtake, resulting in an 11th-place finish.
Overall, the Monaco Grand Prix showcased Norris’s continued rise in the sport while raising concerns about race strategies that prioritise team tactics over on-track competition, leaving many fans questioning the true spirit of racing in Formula 1.