In Pictures: Monaco 2025
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most iconic and prestigious events on the Formula 1 calendar, not just for its long history, but for the enduring mystique that surrounds it. First held in 1929, it is among the sport’s oldest races and forms part of motor racing’s legendary Triple Crown, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500.
The Monaco Grand Prix was the second round of the 1950 season, the inaugural year of the Drivers’ World Championship. It saw the first appearance of Scuderia Ferrari, the only team to have taken part in every edition of motor racing’s blue riband series.
Monaco’s layout is unlike any other: narrow streets, tight corners, sharp elevation changes, and the famous tunnel leading onto the harbour straight define this unforgiving circuit. Precision outweighs power here, with virtually no margin for error.
Beyond the racing itself, the Monaco Grand Prix is a spectacle of sport, elegance, and glamour in a unique atmosphere that makes it stand apart. Technically, it’s one of the most demanding races on the calendar. Cars run maximum aerodynamic downforce, and with overtaking opportunities severely limited, qualifying often plays a decisive role in shaping the outcome.
Ultimately, Monaco is more than just a race. It is a celebration of Formula 1 at its most refined and spectacular. And for the second consecutive round, Pirelli selected the three softest compounds from its 2025 range. Crucially, and uniquely for this event, a two-stop strategy was mandatory, adding a strategic twist to a race already shaped by precision and unpredictability.
FRIDAY
On the first day of track action at the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc made the most of his home advantage. The Ferrari driver, born and raised in the Principality, topped both free practice sessions, much to the delight of the local crowd. He set the pace with a 1:11.964 in FP1 and improved to 1:11.355 in FP2.
Ferrari is clearly looking competitive, but they’re not alone. Lewis Hamilton was third-fastest in the second session with a 1:11.460, while McLaren also showed strong form. Oscar Piastri ended FP2 just 38 thousandths of a second behind Leclerc, while teammate Lando Norris was fourth with a 1:11.677.
SATURDAY
In the final free practice session, drivers focused on fine-tuning performance and building the confidence needed to push their cars to the absolute limit around Monaco’s unforgiving streets.
It took 18 years, but McLaren is back on pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix. The last time was in 2007, courtesy of Fernando Alonso. This time, the star of the Principality was Lando Norris. The Brit was already quickest in Q2 and sealed the deal in Q3, snatching pole at the very last moment from local hero Charles Leclerc. Norris posted a blistering 1:09.954, while the Ferrari driver clocked a 1:10.063. Lando’s lap set a new outright track record, beating the previous benchmark of 1:10.166 set by Lewis Hamilton in 2019.
Third and fourth went to their respective teammates—Oscar Piastri with a 1:10.129 and Lewis Hamilton with a 1:10.382—in what looked like a remixed version of last year’s grid, when Leclerc started from pole, Sainz was third, and both McLarens qualified second and fourth. However, the seven-time world champion was later handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen, dropping him to seventh and promoting the Red Bull driver to the second row with his lap of 1:10.669.
It also marked a milestone in Formula 1 history: the first-ever lap of Monaco completed in under 70 seconds!
SUNDAY
The shape of the race was defined by a special rule requiring all drivers to use three sets of tires, including at least one stint on each of the two designated compounds: Medium and Hard. Every driver complied, although Gabriel Bortoleto made an extra stop after crashing into the guardrail on the opening lap, bringing his total to three.
In the end, it was a flawless performance from Lando Norris, who capped off a remarkable weekend with victory, fastest lap, and a start-to-finish control of the race. The McLaren driver converted his strong qualifying into his first-ever Monaco Grand Prix win, delivering the team’s first triumph here since 2008. That previous victory also came with a British driver at the wheel—Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth today.
This was Norris’s sixth career Formula 1 win and his second of the season, following his success in Australia. He also earned his third career hat trick—pole, win, and fastest lap—adding to those achieved at Zandvoort in 2024 and Melbourne this year. The result takes McLaren’s win tally to 195, reinforcing its legacy as the most successful team in Monaco with a record 16 victories.
Joining Norris on the podium were Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, welcomed by thunderous applause from his home crowd, celebrating his second career Monaco podium. and current Drivers’ Championship leader Oscar Piastri.
““It’s a shame we couldn’t take the win today, but we gave it everything. At end of the day, we lost the victory yesterday and Lando (Norris) just did a better job and he deserves this win.””
Leclerc was voted Driver of the Day by fans on F1.com.
NEXT STOP: SPAIN 🇪🇸
Excerpts from this article provided by Pirelli S.p.A. Photographs courtesy of Formula 1 teams and partners.
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