MPH: How Monaco GP might go from procession to pandemonium
This year’s Monaco Grand Prix brings the prospect of unprecedented chaos and intrigue, as the new two-stop rule throws strategy - and the race outcome - wide open. Mark Hughes explains
Peter Fox/F1 via Getty Images
Lando Norris will be on pole for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix after squeezing in a final third flying lap in the last qualifying stage to knock Charles Leclerc off the front of the F1 grid.
Oscar Piastri will start third alongside Max Verstappen after Lewis Hamilton, who was fourth fastest, was given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Verstappen following an incorrect radio message.
It means Isack Hadjar will be fifth on the grid after an impressive performance ariound Monaco’s unforgiving streets. The Mercedes cars will start in 14th and 15th after Kimi Antonelli crashed and George Russell‘s car broke down.
Scroll down or click to see how the full grid will look when it lines up for the eighth grand prix of the season, which starts at 2pm in the UK — 3pm local time in Monte Carlo.
Saturday’s qualifying session came to a thrilling head in Q3 as Norris and team-mate Piastri started their final Q3 run early and posted the two fastest times, only for Leclerc to best both McLarens.
The papaya pair had already begun additional flying laps and were closing in on the Ferrari driver’s time. Piastri fell short, but Norris was sensational, posting a lap time that was more than a tenth faster than Leclerc’s.
Hamilton underlined Ferrari’s strong pace this weekend by qualifying fourth, but will start seventh as a result of the penalty. Hadjar was just a thousandth of a second faster than Fernando Alonso. Both benefitted from Hamilton’s three-place grid drop.
There were no Mercedes in the final stage after a disastrous session for the team. Kimi Antonelli tapped a barrier and crashed at the end of Q1, preventing him from running in Q2. Minutes later, George Russell coasted to a halt in the tunnel having lost power.
With only 13 cars now fighting for a place in the final Q3 stage, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson scraped into the fastest ten and will start eighth and ninth, just ahead of Alex Albon.
Two drivers knew they were facing grid penalties before the start of the session and both were knocked out in Q1: Oliver Bearman had a ten-place penalty for overtaking under red flags in Friday practice and will start last. We believe Lance Stroll, will start where he qualified in 19th, despite a one-place penalty for causing a collision when he pulled in front of Charles Leclerc during practice — and then a further three-place penalty after a misunderstanding where he impeded Pierre Gasly.
Below is the full starting grid as it stands — unless any other penalties are applied between now and the race.
1 |
Lando Norris McLaren 1min 09.954sec |
2 |
Charles Leclerc |
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3 |
Oscar Piastri McLaren 1min 10.129sec |
4 |
Max Verstappen |
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5 |
Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 1min 10.923sec |
6 |
Fernando Alonso |
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7 |
Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1min 10.382sec 3-place penalty |
8 |
Esteban Ocon |
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|
9 |
Liam Lawson Racing Bulls 1min 11.129sec |
10 |
Alex Albon |
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11 |
Carlos Sainz Williams 1min 11.362sec |
12 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
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13 |
Nico Hülkenberg Sauber 1min 11.596sec |
14 |
George Russell |
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15 |
Kimi Antonelli Mercedes No Q2 time set |
16 |
Gabriel Bortoleto |
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17 |
Pierre Gasly Alpine 1min 11.994sec |
18 |
Franco Colapinto |
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19 |
Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1min 12.563sec 4-place penalty |
20 |
Oliver Bearman |
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This year’s Monaco Grand Prix brings the prospect of unprecedented chaos and intrigue, as the new two-stop rule throws strategy - and the race outcome - wide open. Mark Hughes explains
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