Lando Norris Claims First Monaco Grand Prix Victory with Masterful Drive

Posted : 25 May 2025

Lando Norris secured his first Monaco Grand Prix victory with a flawless performance, leading the race from start to finish. Navigating the complexities of a new rule requiring drivers to use three sets of tyres, Norris maintained control throughout, fending off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to claim his second win of the season.

McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished third, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen settled for fourth, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton ended up fifth. With this result, Norris narrowed Piastri’s championship lead to just three points, with Verstappen trailing by 22.

The race unfolded amid uncertainty about how the new tyre rule would influence strategies and outcomes. Despite expectations of chaos, the front runners mostly stuck to conventional tactics. An early virtual safety car followed a first-lap crash by Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, but otherwise, the race ran smoothly.

Norris took advantage of his pole position to lead from the start, with the top ten maintaining their grid order through the opening laps. Norris, Leclerc, and Piastri all used a similar tyre strategy: beginning on mediums, then switching to hards for two stints.

Verstappen faced a disadvantage due to limited tyre sets, forcing Red Bull to adopt a reversed strategy, starting on hard tyres and switching to mediums later. This delay in his final pit stop briefly put Verstappen in front after Norris and others had pitted, but without the hoped-for safety car or race stoppage, he was forced to pit on the last lap and fell behind Piastri.

Although the rule was intended to spice up the race, the expected dramatic shifts didn’t materialize, as teams cautiously awaited any incidents that might trigger sudden tactical changes.

Other notable moments included Alpine’s Pierre Gasly crashing into Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull early on, and Fernando Alonso retiring with an engine failure, leaving him pointless this season. Behind the leaders, Isack Hadjar impressed by finishing sixth after an unusual two-stop sequence, while Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson completed the top eight.

A tense moment unfolded between George Russell and Alex Albon, as Russell cut a chicane to overtake but refused to return the position, ultimately receiving a drive-through penalty that dashed his hopes of scoring points.

Lando Norris Claims First Monaco Grand Prix Victory with Masterful Drive

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