Monaco GP

Monaco is supposed to be predictable.

Qualifying usually decides everything, overtaking is nearly impossible, and strategy often becomes the only source of drama.

The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix ignored that script entirely.

Starting from pole position, Kimi Antonelli led the field away while chaos unfolded behind him almost immediately. Max Verstappen’s race began badly before it had really started, with issues on the grid and warning lights flashing on his dashboard. By the opening laps, the Red Bull driver was already heading into the pits, frustrated and searching for answers.

At the front, Antonelli looked comfortable.

Lewis Hamilton settled into second place while Charles Leclerc ran third in front of his home crowd. Ferrari’s pace, however, never seemed strong enough to properly challenge the Mercedes ahead. Whether that was strategy or simply a lack of outright speed remained unclear.

Further down the field, drivers were beginning to encounter their own problems.

Verstappen was angry on the radio. Isack Hadjar was even more concerned. Suffering gearbox issues similar to Verstappen’s, the Racing Bulls driver reported that “something is going to explode” as first gear continued to misbehave.

Hamilton meanwhile was beginning to close the gap to Antonelli, although not without complaints of his own. Tyres quickly became a recurring topic on team radio throughout the afternoon.

Then came the penalties.

Hamilton received a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. George Russell was handed a five-second penalty after taking a shortcut through the pit lane, and things only became worse for the Mercedes driver. Failing to properly serve the original punishment eventually escalated into a much harsher penalty, completely ruining his afternoon.

As Monaco often does, the race slowly transformed into a strategy battle.

Leclerc was visibly frustrated as Ferrari’s decisions unfolded around him. At one point, the Monegasque driver questioned the team’s call to pit, clearly believing they were giving away track position unnecessarily. The irritation only grew as the race continued.

Then his race ended altogether.

A brake failure suddenly put Leclerc out of the Grand Prix, crushing any hopes of a podium in front of his home fans and bringing out a red flag. With only eight laps remaining, the race was stopped and reset for a dramatic sprint to the finish.

The restart came on lap 70 of 78.

Antonelli led.

Hamilton sat second.

Pierre Gasly, Hadjar, and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five, although penalties still hung over parts of the field. Hadjar faced scrutiny for a red-flag infringement, while several drivers continued navigating the aftermath of earlier incidents.

The closing laps never produced the late challenge many expected.

Instead, Antonelli once again looked completely in control.

The Mercedes driver set the fastest lap and cruised to yet another victory, securing an extraordinary fifth consecutive Grand Prix win. At this point, the conversation is no longer about whether Antonelli is having a breakthrough season.

The breakthrough happened months ago.

Hamilton crossed the line in second, securing back-to-back runner-up finishes and continuing what has quietly become his strongest run of the year.

Hadjar completed the podium in third after surviving one of the most chaotic afternoons of his season.

Final podium:

P1 – Kimi Antonelli
P2 – Lewis Hamilton
P3 – Isack Hadjar

Five wins in a row.

And somehow, Antonelli still looks like he’s only getting started.