McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered a flawless performance to claim his first-ever Monaco Grand Prix victory, dominating the race from pole to finish and securing his second win of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The British driver outpaced Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished second, while McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri took third, well ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in fourth. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five.
Norris’ victory, coupled with a masterful navigation of a new rule mandating the use of three tire compounds during the race, narrowed Piastri’s championship lead to just three points, with Verstappen trailing by 25 points in third.
The race, anticipated to be chaotic due to the new tire rule, unfolded smoothly for the leaders. A first-lap crash by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto triggered an early virtual safety car, but it had little impact on the front-runners.
Norris, starting from his first pole since the season-opener in Australia, maintained his lead through both pit-stop phases, employing a medium-hard-hard tire strategy mirrored by Leclerc and Piastri.
Verstappen, hampered by limited tire options, started on hard tires before switching to mediums and delaying his final stop until the penultimate lap. Red Bull’s unconventional strategy briefly saw him lead after the top three pitted, but without a hoped-for red flag, Verstappen was forced to pit late, dropping to fourth.