Monaco Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc wins home race for the first time

It’s time for one of the most anticipated races on the European calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix. We find local favorite Charles Leclerc in pole position, still looking for his first victory this year, and who has never finished on the podium on his home soil. Behind him, Oscar Piastri has caused a surprise with his greatly improved McLaren since the start of the season, followed by another Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz. For the first time this season, Max Verstappen is not in pole position and will start 6th, while his teammate Sergio Perez is only 18th on the grid. The two Haas cars, disqualified after a component of the car was deemed non-compliant, will start from the back of the grid.

A red flag right from the start in Monaco

The fires go out and Charles Leclerc remains in the lead, but Carlos Sainz touches Oscar Piastri at Sainte Devote and suffers a puncture, going straight to the Casino. And a red flag is waved after Sergio Perez was hit by the barrier and catapulted against the barriers at full speed, taking the two Haas cars with him. The Red Bull is completely destroyed: only one wheel remains and the front wing is gone in the crash. There is a lot of debris on the track. Fortunately, the Mexican is unharmed. This prematurely ends a catastrophic weekend for him.

During the replay, we realize that the two Alpines also collided, and not lightly. Ocon tried to attack Gasly at Portier corner but there was no space, which sent Ocon’s car flying. “What is he doing?” Gasly gets angry on the radio. The two cars are damaged, Esteban Ocon has to retire following this terrible misjudgment, with damage to the gearbox. He receives a 10-second penalty, which is converted into a 5-place grid penalty in the next race, the Canadian Grand Prix.

We restart with a standing start in the same order, with Esteban Ocon, the two Haas, and Sergio Perez missing. Some took the opportunity to change tires and put on the hards, such as the two Ferraris and the McLarens. Leclerc remains in the lead once again, Sainz is showing more caution than during the first start. Gasly is in 10th. Charles Leclerc sets the fastest lap in lap 6, which should give him confidence for the race. The incident between Sainz and Piastri is noted by the stewards but without further consequences, while Russell is told not to stay so close to Norris, with Mercedes fearing another accident. But the Briton replies that it is the only way to have an opportunity to overtake him. Russell asks his team for strategy indications.

The top three are neck and neck

On lap 10, it’s Oscar Piastri who sets the fastest lap. Leclerc is very fast in the 1st sector, but Piastri takes the advantage in sectors 2 and 3. The top three are very close, with the Australian consistently faster than the Monegasque on lap 14, while Norris is a bit more isolated. However, it’s a procession in Monaco, and it would take a mistake from Leclerc or a pit stop strategy for Piastri to overtake Leclerc. Meanwhile, the Ferrari driver seems to be looking to protect his tires. At the same time, Norris has caught up with the front pack, although there is no real threat given the impossibility of overtaking here.

Bottas makes a pit stop and sets the fastest lap on the 18th lap with his new hard tires, but he is at the back of the grid. Piastri is getting closer to Leclerc, less than 0.5 seconds behind, but still doesn’t have an overtaking opportunity. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is still in 6th place, stuck between the two Mercedes. We are on the 25th lap and a certain monotony is setting in this race where overtaking is simply impossible on the track (isn’t that right, Ocon?)

Discussions on strategies

It seems that a train of cars seems to be forming behind Fernando Alonso (12th)… Exactly like last year in Monaco. Daniel Ricciardo is very close to the Aston Martin, but it remains to be seen if and how he will be able to overtake it. The Spaniard also seems to be on a tire management strategy. We are slowly heading towards the mid-race point and Norris is being informed that the tires will start to become less efficient. At the same time, Norris almost brushes the wall at the first corner. Sainz informs his team that there is graining and that Norris could be dangerous towards the end of the race. Then it’s Piastri’s turn to speak up and ask questions about the remaining tires of his pursuer, Sainz.

On the 39th lap, Charles Leclerc is asked to slow down. But the Monegasque must be careful because he will soon have to pass the last cars on the grid, which will have to let him through. Piastri also has to find his way through this procession and loses some time. It is especially Fernando Alonso, at the head of the vehicles train, who loses out by letting the top four pass. Meanwhile, there is a discussion between Charles Leclerc and his new engineer, Bozzi, about a proposed strategy…rejected by the technician. At Norris’, they hope for a safety car to have a free pit stop, but the driver is puzzled.

While we are almost falling asleep, Lance Stroll hit the barrier, punctured a tyre, and left a piece of it at the pitlane entrance, avoiding a safety car. Hamilton pits on lap 52, while Red Bull pretends to pit Verstappen until the 53rd lap. He puts on the hard tyres and rejoins the race between Russell and Hamilton, still in 6th place. Unbelievable but true, we witnessed an overtaking in Monaco: Bottas takes 13th place from Sargeant. This seems to inspire Lando Norris, who tries to make a move on Carlos Sainz, getting closer than ever to the Spaniard. But impossible to pass. This was not the case for Lance Stroll, who made an unlikely overtake in the Tunnel on Zhou, before getting ahead of Sargeant. Hats off to this dual overtake on such a narrow track.

Under the very high threat of Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz tells his engineer that if he comes in and switches to new mediums, even Charles Leclerc is in danger. With a 17-second lead over his pursuer Russell, Norris could indeed be tempted to come in. In the meantime, Verstappen is dangerously closing in on Russell. We are entering the last ten laps of this Grand Prix and there isn’t much movement in terms of positions, while Charles Leclerc is widening the gap to four seconds ahead of Piastri, as Sainz is catching up to the Australian.

We will remain there until the end, and it is therefore the Monegasque Charles Leclerc who wins this Monaco Grand Prix for the very first time, followed by Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, and Lando Norris. Pierre Gasly is 10th, in the points.