Formula 1

Kimi Antonelli wins thrilling Monaco GP from Lewis Hamilton

Fraser Masefield
4 months ago
5 min read

Kimi Antonelli cemented his position as championship favourite by winning his first Monaco Grand Prix from the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar.


Starting from pole position, the young Italian star held position and drove a composed race to head home Hamilton and Hadjar after Max Verstappen suffered a technical failure and retired on the opening lap.

With his latest victory, Antonelli becomes the youngest ever winner of the Monaco GP and means he extends his advantage at the top of the drivers’ standings to 66 points over Hamilton, who leapfrogged George Russell.

The second Mercedes driver, who won the season opener in Melbourne, could only finish 12th after suffering a drive through penalty.

“It’s an incredible feeling to win in Monaco,” commented Antonelli. “It’s such a special weekend and one I’ll remember for a long time.

“Today was one of those days where everything just clicked; I had a lot of confidence in the car, felt strong throughout, and to bring the win home in a place like this makes it even more meaningful.”

Home favourite Charles Leclerc locked up and speared into the barriers from third place with eleven laps remaining, to the shock of the assembled Scuderia fans.

THE TALE OF THE RACE

More than any other circuit in the world, Monaco depends on tactics and pit stops with overtaking fiercely difficult.

A good start is also crucial. And it was a nightmare for Verstappen, a technical issue leaving him stranded on the grid before limping back to the pits and into retirement.

For Antonelli it was a godsend, the Italian stretching away and coming out comfortably in front after the pitstop window ahead of Hamilton and Leclerc.

It proved decisive, the Italian heading home the Ferrari of Hamilton for his fifth consecutive grand prix win and a significant lead over teammate Russell in the championship standings.

READ CRAIG SCARBOROUGH’S GUIDE TO THE MONACO GP

Starting from pole position, Antonelli got the ideal launch off the line, leading Verstappen into Saint Devote.

With Verstappen losing drive, it was Antonelli’s race to lose and he quickly stretched the gap to four seconds over Hamilton by lap 6.


With every driver in the top ten starting on the medium compound tyre, pit stops would prove decisive over the 78-lap race distance.

It was a nightmare for Red Bull Racing on a technical front, Hadjar losing first gear after a handful of laps.

It left him a sitting duck to Russell, but still he couldn’t find a way past. The undercut was the only option.

So it came to pass on lap 34, Russell getting the job done. A five second penalty for Hamilton speeding in the pitlane threw another spanner into the works.

Another penalty for Russell for speeding in the pitlane gave his teammate an extra boost, Antonelli pitting on lap 37 for a swift 2.3s stop.

It proved more than sufficient. Antonelli cruising home ahead of Hamilton and Hadjar.

“I have to start by congratulating Kimi and the Mercedes team, my old family,” said Hamilton afterwards.

“They have created an amazing car and Kimi has done an amazing job, delivering week in, week out. It’s great to see. Very happy for them.

Lewis Hamilton in action during the Monaco GP: Craig Evans Spacesuit Media

“On our side, progressing over the past months can’t quite keep up with them yet and probably going to take a lot of work to get to their level.

“But to get another second place is such a great feeling especially at Monaco under the trickiest conditions. The car is good but we need more downforce ultimately and these tyres aren’t great over a long stint.

“With all the different things that have been thrown at us it was massively challenging, but really grateful for the day.”

SHOP THE LEWIS HAMILTON FERRARI RANGE

For last year’s winner and reigning champion Norris it was a disappointing race on McLaren’s 1000th GP, retiring on lap 46.

There was one final twist, a red flag appearing for marbles on the circuit and the track surface breaking up on Turn 19. The circuit deemed unfit for purpose.

Racing resumed for a handful of laps but the positions remained the same after a weird and wonderful 2026 Monaco Grand Prix.

The last word must go to the remarkable Antonelli, who continues to push the boundaries and break records during what has been an almost flawless season to date.

“The red flag added a bit of stress, especially knowing the restart could change everything, but we handled it well. In the final laps, I really enjoyed myself out there, even though I still had to carefully manage the tyres.

“This track demands a lot of focus, you have to find the right balance between pushing and not making mistakes, and once you settle into that rhythm, everything starts to come together.

“At the same time, I know there’s still a lot to learn and improve. I just want to keep pushing, keep building on this momentum, and most importantly, keep enjoying the journey.

“That’s what makes moments like this so rewarding.”

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Fraser Masefield

Fraser is a sports and motorsports editor with over 25 years experience. The former head editor of WilliamsF1, BMW Motorsport, Jaguar Racing and Virgin Media, he has also worked for Autosport, ESPNF1 and Eurosport amongst others.

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