The crown jewel of the Formulation 1 calendar has arrived.
The Monaco Grand Prix.
Set on the streets of Monte Carlo, the Monaco Grand Prix delivers a number of the most gorgeous pictures of the F1 season. Between the landmarks that dot the circuit and the yachts that line the harbor, the occasion has develop into synonymous with the game, and the date that each group and driver circles on the calendar when the schedule is introduced.
Nonetheless, the race itself? As we’ll focus on in a second, that has develop into one thing of a query mark.
Listed below are the important thing storylines for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix.
A title combat, renewed
Oscar Piastri’s successful streak — the Australian driver scored victories in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Miami — introduced his complete to 4 Grands Prix wins on the season, and led some to marvel if he would run away with the Drivers’ Championship.
With apologies to Lee Corso, not so quick, my buddy.
Whereas Piastri did sufficient on Saturday to take pole place for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Max Verstappen stormed by the McLaren driver on the opening lap in Sunday’s race to take the lead shortly after the beginning, and the Pink Bull driver survived a pair of restarts to take the win, his second of the season.
That, coupled with a P2 from Lando Norris, noticed Piastri’s lead over his McLaren teammate lower to simply 13 factors, with Verstappen lurking solely 22 factors behind.
Pink Bull introduced an improve bundle to Imola, one which had Dr. Helmut Marko — who has appeared despondent at instances this yr with the RB21’s efficiency — something however after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
“We introduced a number of new elements right here,” stated Marko after Imola. “I feel we have been even higher than McLaren. We have been merely sooner.
“That is the primary time in a yr that the upgrades have had a optimistic impact on the automotive. I’m comfortable and we’re going to Monaco subsequent week with a number of confidence.”
Recreation on.
Indicators of life at Ferrari?
Even after the Miami Grand Prix, which noticed Charles Leclerc end seventh and Lewis Hamilton end eighth, the seven-time Drivers’ Champion did his greatest to stay upbeat. “I usually, I had a very good day on the whole,” started Hamilton when talking with the media, together with SB Nation, after the Miami Grand Prix. “Eighth doesn’t actually appear like that, however I really feel optimistic for the longer term.
“I feel this automotive actually does have efficiency.”
Nonetheless, Saturday’s dismal qualifying effort — each Leclerc and Hamilton have been eradicated in Q2 — had each drivers downtrodden within the aftermath.
“[I’m] very disillusioned, particularly at dwelling, at such a particular Grand Prix for the group – it simply hurts,” stated Leclerc to the official F1 channel. “It might have harm anyway, no matter observe, however right here it hurts much more. I’ve no phrases about our efficiency right this moment.”
“Powerful one. Finally, I really feel tremendous gutted, devastated that we weren’t capable of get via,” stated Hamilton to Sky Sports activities F1. “I actually really feel like we had made so many optimistic steps via the weekend. The automotive was usually feeling higher, brakes have been higher right this moment, the steadiness was very nice.
“In Q2, run one felt first rate, after which once we put the brand new tires on, for some I simply didn’t have any extra grip and couldn’t go any sooner.”
However that optimism was again on Sunday, most notably from Hamilton, as each drivers fought again into the factors. Leclerc managed to complete sixth whereas Hamilton climbed to P4, at one level threatening for a podium.
Now the seven-time Drivers’ Champion is considering Ferrari can combat on the entrance.
“Let’s preserve pushing,” stated Hamilton over the radio as he took the checkered flag. “If we are able to get that qualifying higher and we are able to race like that then we’ll be successful.”
Talking with the media, Hamilton stated he was “ecstatic” with the outcome.
“It felt so nice to lastly get the set-up proper and to have that bond with the automotive all through the race,” he stated to Sky Sports activities F1. “I’m ecstatic. It might have been nice to have had some extra laps and challenged for a podium.”
Has Ferrari really discovered one thing?
The brand new Monaco Grand Prix guidelines
This season, F1’s governing physique confirmed a brand new algorithm for this yr’s Monaco Grand Prix.
To attempt to enhance the race itself — which has develop into one thing of a procession in recent times with overtaking turning into nearly unimaginable — the game is mandating two pit stops for every driver. In an announcement launched again in February, the FIA famous that in an effort aimed toward “enhancing the sporting spectacle of this Race given the notable issue in overtaking at this circuit,” drivers are actually required to make use of three units of tires, together with two completely different compounds in dry circumstances.
Will this enhance the racing, or merely replace the chaos?
Talking in Miami, many drivers expressed some skepticism, noting that you may merely pit on the primary lap, then pit on the second lap for a set of onerous tires, and run to the tip.
That is nearly what occurred final yr when a crash on the opening lap introduced out the pink flag, bringing the grid down pit lane because the race stopped. Everybody bolted on the onerous tires, and a lot of the factors finishers stayed out for the remainder of the race, following behind Charles Leclerc, who lastly tasted a win at dwelling.
Hamilton and Verstappen have been the one level scorers who made a second pit cease.
I requested Alexander Albon in regards to the rule change just lately, and he expressed some skepticism that the brand new rule will enhance the racing.
“The vehicles are getting greater however the circuit stays the identical, so I feel overtaking will at all times be tough till the rules change,” detailed Albon.
We’ll discover out for sure this week.
Can Williams preserve their scorching streak alive?
Talking of Albon …
Williams left Jeddah after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix sitting fifth within the standings with 25 factors, due to a P8 from Carlos Sainz Jr. and a P9 from Albon. That put them 5 factors forward of sixth-place Haas.
They head to Monaco nonetheless in fifth place, however now with 51 factors on the yr, which has them 31 factors forward of sixth-place Haas.
The group has secured a double factors end in two straight race weekends, first in Miami after which final week in Imola. Sainz completed ninth in Miami and eighth in Imola, whereas Albon has delivered back-to-back P5 outcomes.
Whereas Sainz has expressed some frustration with how issues have unfolded for him the previous two race Sundays, the actual fact is Williams is preventing on the entrance of the midfield, and placing stress on each Mercedes and Ferrari with their tempo.
Can they preserve that getting in Monaco?
Who wins on Saturday?
As famous above, the Monaco Grand Prix itself has develop into a fairly boring affair, because of the tough nature of overtaking on the slim Monte Carlo streets.
Which suggests if you wish to win the crown jewel of the F1 season, you could win on Saturday.
In solely ten races since 1950 has a driver received regardless of beginning decrease than third. The final time that occurred got here in 1996 when Olivier Panis received regardless of beginning P14. That race additionally made some historical past because it holds the document for the F1 race with the fewest finishers. Solely podium scorers Panis, David Coulthard, and Johnny Herbert completed the race.
However usually talking, if you wish to win the Monaco Grand Prix, you could win on Sunday.
