Biggest Winners and Losers From This Year’s Monaco Grand Prix
The streets of Monaco rarely forgive, and this year’s Grand Prix stuck to tradition. Despite efforts to spice things up with a two-stop requirement, the strategy didn’t shake up the front. Still, a few teams found ways to shine—or completely unravel. Here’s a look at who left Monte Carlo smiling, and who left scratching their heads.
Winner: Lando Norris Converts Pole to Victory
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Norris grabbed pole by just under a tenth and controlled the race from the front. He completed 78 laps without error, maintained tire performance over two stints, and managed the pace while defending against undercut threats. With this win, he cut Oscar Piastri’s championship lead to just three points.
Winner: Charles Leclerc’s Qualifying Skills Hold Up
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Ferrari’s low-speed traction came alive in Monaco, and Charles Leclerc used it to his advantage. He started second and finished there, defending against undercut pressure with sharp exits from Portier and clean lines through Mirabeau.
Winner: Isack Hadjar Isack Hadjar Scores Career-Best Finish
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For the first time in his F1 career, Isack Hadjar finished in the top six. He qualified P6 and maintained position through both pit stops without a penalty or track limits warning. Now with eight points in the standings, Hadjar’s reputation within the Red Bull camp continues to grow.
Winner: Esteban Ocon Outperforms Grid Expectations
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Ocon started P10 and finished P7, executing a two-stop strategy with precise in-laps on 24 and 52. His cornering stability into Mirabeau and tire preservation on the mediums gave Haas a rare double-points opportunity. He has now finished in the points in three of the last five races.
Winner: Liam Lawson Aids Team Strategy Execution
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Lawson qualified P9 and acted as a buffer to secure Hadjar’s track position. His controlled race pace in laps 10 to 30 created a pit window for his teammate to rejoin in P6. While he finished P9 himself, the strategic value of his driving was clear.
Winner: McLaren’s Setup Improvements on Display
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Through Loews, Rascasse, and Portier, McLaren’s front-end stability gave both drivers an edge. Their setup delivered the fastest pit averages of the weekend at 2.32 seconds, and they converted a front-row lockout into a win and a podium. With three wins in six rounds, they now lead the constructors’ standings.
Winner: Technical Consistency Lifts Haas
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The VF-25 responded better to Monaco’s tight layout than most expected. A mechanical-grip-heavy setup helped both drivers hold position, and Ocon’s P7 was no accident. Even with Bearman’s penalty-affected start, Haas came away with valuable points. They currently sit sixth overall in the championship, ahead of Alpine and Williams.
Loser: Red Bull’s Kerb Handling Still a Liability
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Red Bull’s RB20 continued to struggle on undulating street circuits. Verstappen qualified nearly 0.7s off pole and spent most of the race unable to close gaps in Sector 2. Despite improved tire degradation since Imola, their chassis remains unstable over kerbs, particularly at the Swimming Pool.
Loser: Mercedes Ruined by Qualifying Problems
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Electrical failure cut Russell’s Q2 short, while Antonelli’s crash in Q1 forced him to start P15. Both cars delayed pit stops until laps 58 and 59, long after track position could be recovered. Mercedes recorded zero laps in the top 10 on Sunday, and this marked back-to-back weekends without points.
Loser: Fernando Alonso’s Power Unit Fails Again
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Alonso’s Mercedes PU failed after lap 26, despite running P6 with a competitive mid-race pace. This was his second DNF in four races due to mechanical failure. His qualifying lap showed the car had pace, but his average race completion rate this season limited his ability to challenge in the midfield.
Loser: Alpine’s New Driver Lineup Struggles for Grip
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Franco Colapinto, in just his second race weekend, couldn’t find rhythm. He qualified last and finished well outside the points. Teammate Pierre Gasly compounded a weak weekend by hitting Tsunoda early in the race. Alpine has now gone five straight races without a Q3 appearance.
Loser: Kimi Antonelli’s Early Crash Ends Hope
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Antonelli crashed at Sainte Devote, eliminating any chance to demonstrate pace. His race strategy—delayed stop until lap 57—wasn’t aggressive enough to recover. Monaco was his third race without a point, and the pressure to close that delta is growing heading into summer.
Loser: Gasly’s Weekend Undone by Racing Incident
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During the race, Gasly misjudged braking into the chicane and tapped Tsunoda, compromising both cars. The stewards called it a racing incident, but Alpine’s decision to pit him on lap 1 yielded no net gain. This was his fourth straight finish outside the top 10.
Loser: Sauber’s Lack of Pace Continues
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Sector 1 exposed Sauber’s biggest weakness: braking and rear traction. Gabriel Bortoleto couldn’t climb from P19 and finished a lap down. Even with a setup focused on tire preservation, lap times weren’t competitive. Sauber remains the only team without a top-10 result this season.
Loser: Yuki Tsunoda Slides Out of Q3 Again
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Despite matching Verstappen’s car spec in practice, Tsunoda missed Q3 for the fourth time this season. A crash in Imola forced him to revert to the older floor for Monaco, and the performance gap showed. He qualified for P13 and never recovered.