Charles Leclerc wins Monaco Grand Prix on another bad day for Red Bull

The red flag simplified things and made thing less action-packed than they normally are in Monaco. It’s a good result for us as a team, not a lot to aim for during the race.

You always think of what could you have done and should you have done, but it’s impossible to answer it correctly. We did what we could, I think the pace was strong from the car today…so we’ll keep pushing. A fourth and a second for us is still an amazing result.

It was a tight one and a very bad feeling in lap one which very quickly turned into a really good feeling after getting reinstated in P3. From thereon really, the race pace was good as we expect, it’s just impossible to get past on the streets of Monaco.

But I’m incredibly happy to see Charles win on his home Grand Prix. To be able to share this podium with him in P3 is great for the whole team, and it feels like we’re getting stronger and stronger.

Tricky race. The pace at the beginning was incredibly slow. I had one little half look before the tunnel but didn’t have a small enough car to fit into the gap!

Thanks to the team. It’s been a great weekend all-round. Nice to put a result on the board. I’ve been strong the last few weekends but didn’t have the result to show for it. Nice to have a podium.

Charles has been mega all weekend. They have been quick from the very first lap. I’m happy with P2. A good result for the team. Very, very happy.

No words can explain that. It’s such a difficult race, I think the fact twice I’ve been starting on pole position and we couldn’t quite make it makes it even better in a way.

It means a lot, obviously. It’s the race which made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day. Fifteen laps to the end you’re hoping nothing happens and the emotions are coming.

My dad has given everything for me to be here and it was a dream of ours for me to race here and win here, so it’s unbelievable.

Top ten:

1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Carlos Sainz
4. Lando Norris
5. George Russell
6. Max Verstappen
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Yuki Tsunoda
9. Alex Albon
10. Pierre Gasly

Lovely win for Charles Leclerc, impossible not to be happy for one of the sport’s nice guys. Also great news for the title battle, with the championship squeezed a little. But the biggest noise in the press room during the race probably came from a colleague wearing a Southampton football shirt after Adam Armstrong scored.

1. Leclerc
2. Piastri
3. Sainz
4. Norris
5. Russell

The Monegasque driver brings it home to win his home Grand Prix for the first time. It is safe to say from the team radio that he is pretty happy about that. The home crowd rises to applaud their local boy.

“A fantastic result for team, for family, and I think for Formula 1 as well” 🤗

The moment Charles Leclerc wins his home race in Monaco for the first time! 💪🏡 pic.twitter.com/j4q8x2qeKN

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 26, 2024

So long as he does not make a mistake and hit the wall, Leclerc is just a couple of miles away from a maiden victory around the streets of Monaco.

Leclerc is closing in on his first win at his home track as his gap to Piastri is nine seconds. French football star Kylian Mbappe is preparing to wave the chequered flag.

1. Leclerc    Interval
2. Piastri    +8.6
3. Sainz      +0.7
4. Norris     +0.7
5. Russell    +9.9

The Dutchman cruised up to the back of Russell but the Mercedes driver is keeping Verstappen at bay. Out in front Leclerc has put his foot down and is now over six seconds clear of Piastri.

We have ten laps remaining in this Monaco GP. Leclerc is a couple of seconds ahead of Piastri, who in turn is just under three seconds clear of Sainz. Norris is just a second behind Sainz but does not have the gap behind to make a stop and come back out ahead of Russell. Ferrari are using their second driver on track to help out their lead driver.

Verstappen is putting pressure on Russell with much newer tyres but we all know track position in Monaco is so important. Hamilton is now closing in on that duo.

Having come into the pits, Verstappen is much faster than Russell and is now right behind the Mercedes man with just over 15 laps remaining. McLaren and Norris will be hoping Russell loses some time fighting with Verstappen.

1. Leclerc     Interval
2. Piastri       +1.7  
3. Sainz         +4.4
4. Norris        +0.6
5. Russell       +17.3

It seems like Ferrari are using Sainz to help out Leclerc by holding up Norris. Ferrari want the gap between Norris and Russell to come down so that Norris does not get a free pit-stop. Norris is right up behind Sainz.

Mercedes decide to keep Russell out instead of responding to the two behind him stopping. Russell has lost some time coming through traffic, which means Norris is now 20 seconds ahead of him. Will McLaren opt to bring Norris in?

Red Bull respond to Mercedes’ stop as they bring Verstappen in, onto the hard tyre like Hamilton. Verstappen maintains sixth ahead of Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton was really in no-mans-land and Mercedes decide to bring him in. The gap back to Tsunoda in eighth was over 40 seconds so it was a no-brainer really. Hamilton goes onto the hard tyre.

He only just came into the pits a few laps ago but Lance Stroll has a puncture on his rear left and has to come into the pits again. He hit the wall at the Nouvelle Chicane. He puts the soft tyres on with just under 30 laps left.

All four of Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz and Norris have got through unscathed but around a circuit like Monaco that is very stressful coming through a gaggle of slower cars.

We have a pit-stop! Aston Martin bring in Stroll from 11th and he keeps that place as his teammate Alonso has been keeping those behind him at bay.

Just a few seconds covers the top four and they are now hitting those drivers at the back to lap them. The two Ferraris and two McLarens will be praying they get through this unscathed.

Ferrari have got onto team radio to Leclerc to tell him to slow the pace at the front in order to prevent Norris from getting into the pit window. The gap between Norris in fourth and Russell in fifth is over 17 seconds. Norris probably needs around 20 seconds to come out ahead of Russell.

Esteban Ocon’s day has been fairly miserable. Not only is he out, he has received a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Canada.

1. Leclerc   Interval
2. Piastri     +1.1
3. Sainz       +2.4
4. Norris      +1.0
5. Russell     +16.9

McLaren have just been telling Norris over the team radio that they can see graining on Sainz’s tyres. The question going forward is whether we will see any of the top four pit at some point. Norris is the most likely candidate as he would have nothing to lose so long as the gap back to Russell is big enough.

Sky have just been speaking to Esteban Ocon, who is out of the race:

It was a big one, but luckily it was less than Budapest last year where the same thing happened.

It’s an unfortunate incident. Unfortunately, we sustained too much damage to continue. I didn’t really review it and I’m not going to comment about it.

Verstappen has become so used to winning races in recent years but currently he is sat behind Russell in sixth place. He is over 20 seconds off the race lead and Leclerc could come into the pits right now and come out ahead of the Dutchman.

The gap behind Norris to Russell is over 12 seconds which, if there was a safety car now, would be enough to come in, pit and come out ahead of Russell. Norris is probably the one who could benefit most and has the least to lose of the front four to come in once the gap back is big enough.

1. Leclerc    Interval
2. Piastri      +1.2
3. Sainz       +1.2
4. Norris      +0.8
5. Russell    +10.5

Bottas has just set the fastest lap of the race, four seconds faster than our current leader is going. Leclerc is definitely managing things here, which you can do at Monaco when you are out in front.

Lando has been reeling in Sainz and is now in DRS range. There are is around two and a half seconds between the top four. The gap behind Norris back to Russell is around nine seconds.

We have our first stop after the restart as Sauber have brought Bottas in to put on the hard tyres. He is now in 16th and last of the drivers still in the race.

There is just a second that covers the top three at the moment. Norris is another couple of seconds back, perhaps just managing his tyres sensibly as in the dirty air that can take a lot of life out of the tyres.

It is clear how much faster the Ferraris and McLarens have been this weekend as the top four are cruising away from Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton. Norris in fourth is now over six seconds clear of Russell in fifth.

The stewards have given Esteban Ocon a 10-second penalty for the collision with Pierre Gasly. Ocon is out of the race so it could lead to a future penalty. We have just had word that it will be a grid drop at the next race in Canada.

We have just heard over Piastri’s team radio that he has a small amount of damage from that incident with Sainz on the first lap before the red flag, but they are reporting the balance is still fine.

Ocon out of the race, and there’s some speculation he may be out of a drive. His boss Bruno Famin has given an interview to Canal+ in which he said he felt the move on Gasly was out of order and the crash “exactly what the team did not want to see”.

“We will decide on the consequences,” Famin added darkly. “For a start, Portier was not the place to try an attack without leaving room for your teammate.”

No-one at the front made or lost any places at the restart and the top five are closely packed together. They are starting to pull away a little from Verstappen, who is sixth, and Hamilton, who is seventh.

Piastri gets a good start but, with a short run to turn one, Leclerc holds on to keep first. Sainz avoids any contact and stays in third with Norris still in fourth.

We are back under way in Monaco.

The drivers are making their way around for the restart. The top four; Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz and Norris, have all changed tyres and have switched from the mediums to the hards. That would count as their mandatory pit-stop. The next three of Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton are on the mediums having initially started on the hards.

An update at Alpine and we have just seen Esteban Ocon in the pitlane, out of his car having changed his clothes. So we can safely assume with a minute left before they make their way back out that Ocon is out of the race.

McLaren have been checking over Oscar Piastri’s car after contact with Carlos Sainz at turn one. Piastri asked his team over team radio to check the floor. The Alpines are doing some work on their cars after their two drivers collided at Portier.

From my point of view, I had a good part of my front on Perez’s rear and when he went to the wall I got pushed to the wall and made contact with him.

I trusted he was going to leave space for me since I was there. It’s not a corner where you’re braking into it, it’s a bend on the straight so you have to have a car otherwise you leave the other guy no option.

From my point of view, I was there and I got squeezed to the wall.

We have just head the Mercedes team radio and Lewis Hamilton has just said to his team “I told you guys”. That presumably indicates Lewis thought a red flag on the opening lap was quite likely and therefore they should not have started on the hard tyre. With this red flag, those that started on the mediums have the choice of switching to the hards and going to the end.

It’s surprising [Perez] knew [Magnussen] was there and didn’t move to the left a little bit more. It was a horrible impact and because you’re going at such a high speed there you end up about 300 metres away from the incident.

It’s a real strange one. You’ve got to say both guys should have given each other more room. Is it a racing incident? It kind of is because Checo knew Kevin was there and maybe should have given him a little bit more room, but if a car is coming to the right doing 150mph, I’d back out.

We have a restart time and it is 14:44 (BST) (15:44 local time), which is in just over 10 minutes.

We are in for a lengthy delay with the debris on the track and the damage to the barriers.

Kevin Magnussen would have been sweating after that crash. Not just because it was terrifying and he was at the centre of a big incident, but because he was on 10 penalty points already. If the Haas driver copped two or more for that collision he would have had a one-race ban. Stewards have now announced the incident will not be investigated.

It will be a standing start and we are going to have the original starting order minus the three drivers who are out of the race, which are Perez, Hulkenberg and Magnussen. That means Sainz will restart in third despite his puncture and dropping down the order on the initial start. If you are a Ferrari fan, you will be mightily relieved but for McLaren fans, they will be a disappointed with the call from the FIA.

Fortunately, our drivers did a very good job. We walked away unscathed and in a strong position. The biggest fear right now is, when a red flag comes out you’ve got a free choice of tyres.

We started on the medium, we could now go to the hard, which is an opportunity. Then fears – front graining will be there in the race, so how bad will it be and when will it start?

What a disastrous weekend it has been for the Haas team. They were disqualified from qualifying after illegal rear wings and therefore started from the back. And then their races were over within 30 seconds of the race start after that huge crash on the opening lap.

We are just seeing replays that we have not seen before of a collision between the Alpines. Ocon tries to go up the inside of Gasly at Portier and ends up airborne. Over the team radio Gasly cannot understand what on earth his teammate was doing there.

Been a miserable weekend for Sergio Perez, but thankfully he was able to get out of the wreckage of his car under his own steam. All drivers these days thankful for the incredible survival cells in these machines. That was some smash. FIA say the restart will be a standing start.

It was unnecessary from Kevin Magnussen to keep his car there. There was a moment when K-Mag should have abandoned that.

It was not worth the risk up there. You are fighting at the back against a Red Bull when you are not anywhere near alongside.

All the drivers left in the race have made their way back to the pits and we could be in for a lengthy delay. Sainz has made his way back and is still in the race as Ferrari will be able to make any repairs necessary. Piastri was right up behind Leclerc going through the tunnel and came close to making a move before the red flag came out.

Coming up the hill at Beau Rivage Perez and the two Haas drivers have had a big crash, which has caused the red flag. There is a huge amount of debris on the track as well as three cars out of the race.

“That is a MONSTER of an accident!” 😲

A look at the huge crash between Perez and both Haas drivers which caused a red flag – thankfully all three drivers are out of the cars and are fine ✅ pic.twitter.com/Df10hRTSIf

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 26, 2024

Sainz goes deep at Casino Square as a result of a puncture and plummets down the boards. We have a red flag as we have had a massive crash behind.

DRAMA ON THE FIRST LAP IN MONACO!

Sainz picks up damage and a MASSIVE crash between Perez and both Haas’ brings out the red flag! 🟥 pic.twitter.com/LLKP4byL5I

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 26, 2024

Leclerc keeps first place but Sainz challenges Piastri into turn one. The Australian holds position but coming up the hill Sainz has damage.

We are under way at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The drivers are now making their way around the circuit on the formation lap. We now know what tyres the drivers are starting on. All of the top four are on the medium tyres but the next three, Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton, are starting on the hards. No-one has opted for the softs.

Oscar Piastri’s manager Mark Webber looked more nervous than his driver as they got ready to start from the front row. Leclerc winning his home race would be a great story, but Piastri getting his debut win would also be nice. The Australian is definitely keeping Lando Norris on his toes at the moment, which is good for McLaren.

Just five minutes to go. Get ready for the Monaco Grand Prix.

1. Leclerc
2. Piastri
3. Sainz
4. Norris
5. Russell
6. Verstappen
7. Hamilton
8. Tsunoda
9. Albon
10. Gasly
11. Ocon
12. Ricciardo
13. Stroll
14. Alonso
15. Sargeant
16. Perez
17. Bottas
18. Guanyu
19. Hulkenberg
20. Magnussen

It’s a really nice experience. It was always going to be a special experience coming here but I’m very happy to be here.

The weather helps a lot. Everything around it. I don’t know how they cope with all the attention. It’s crazy. Massive respect. Let’s see what spectacle the race will bring.

It is time for the Monaco national anthem, a special moment for local boy Charles Leclerc, who will be hoping to hear it again in a few hours.

It is an absolute melee on the grid as Sky’s Martin Brundle is fighting through the many celebrities. He has spoken to Siya Kolisi, Joe Jonas, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ben Chilwell and Diogo Dalot. He also got a very short word in with Kylian Mbappe, although the bodyguards were not see keen for him to have a chat. A huge array of stars from such a wide range of professions.

“It’s alright mate I’m in charge around here” 😂💪

Martin wasn’t letting anyone stop him getting his Grid Walk interview with Kylian Mbappe! 🎙 pic.twitter.com/ve0N87ereN

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 26, 2024

Oscar Piastri starts on the front row alongside Charles Leclerc and will know the start will be crucial to his chances of a win today.

Charles Leclerc has never won at Monaco and is hoping to convert his third pole at this track into a win. None of the top five on the starting grid have ever won at this track so we are likely to see a new winner at Monaco. However, in F2 earlier today Zak O’Sullivan won from 15th after a very late virtual safety car. The chances of a safety car are quite high around the streets of Monaco so strategy is important.

Just walked over to the grid with Gianni Infantino. Wasn’t able to talk football politics with him as he had a few minders and was studiously avoiding media. He’s one of a few football ‘celebs’ here today with Kylian Mbappe in attendance, plus a few Man Utd players who are celebrating yesterday’s FA Cup win of course. Saw Varane walk past the Red Bull paddock home earlier today.

We know it’s a long race. Normally around here you have to be patient. Maybe the race comes to you, maybe not, we have to be opened minded

It’s one race weekend. Of course you would always like to win Monaco. For us now it’s about scoring as many point as we can then move on.

South Africa double World Cup winning rugby captain Siya Kolisi is a guest of Red Bull this weekend.

Fresh from winning the FA Cup final yesterday against Manchester City, Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has hopped over to Monaco to take in the race today.

American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is in attendance.

Liverpool captain and vice-captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are enjoying themselves in the Monaco sunshine ahead of the Euros this summer.

As much as it’s a tiring week because of the level of concentration you need to have during the weekend, I don’t feel it now and I’m super excited to get in the car to do the job.

I think we’ve had really good starts recently, so we’ve got to do our things and not do anything crazy, but the pace has been there all weekend. I’ll try to bring it home.

1. Charles Leclerc
2. Oscar Piastri
3. Carlos Sainz
4. Lando Norris
5. George Russell
6. Max Verstappen
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Yuki Tsunoda
9. Alex Albon
10. Pierre Gasly
11. Esteban Ocon
12. Daniel Ricciardo
13. Lance Stroll
14. Fernando Alonso
15. Logan Sargeant
16. Sergio Perez
17. Valtteri Bottas
18. Zhou Guanyu
19. Nico Hulkenberg
20. Kevin Magnussen

Charles Leclerc will start his home race in Monaco this afternoon from pole position. The Monegasque driver, who went to school around the streets where the circuit weaves, has been quick all weekend and will start at the front of the grid ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz. Leclerc will be hoping to lift his Monaco curse, having started on pole twice before but not managing to convert either of those into wins, despite grid position being king around the streets of Monaco. He was delighted with his performance yesterday, but knows there is still work to do today to secure his maiden victory at his home race.

“It was nice. The feeling after a qualifying lap is very special here. Really happy about the lap. The excitement is so high. It feels really good. However, now I know more often than not in the past, that qualifying is not everything. 

“As much as it helps, we need to put everything together for Sunday’s race. In the past here we didn’t manage to do so, but we are in a stronger position and we are a stronger team. I’m sure we can achieve great things tomorrow and the win is the target.

“I need a good launch off the grid, then once we do that, hopefully Carlos can have a great start and follow me into Turn One. If we are one-two, we can manage that as a team. That would be the perfect scenario. But whatever happens we need to bring that victory home.”

Lando Norris starts fourth, with fellow Englishman George Russell in fifth. After a challenging weekend, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will start from sixth and his run of eight straight poles has come to an end. Had he claimed pole yesterday, the Dutchman would have set a new record for consecutive pole positions. Verstappen admitted after qualifying yesterday that the track has proved troublesome for the Red Bull this weekend.

“We tried a lot of things and nothing made it better so I was stuck, there is nothing you could do,” Verstappen said. “You can see in the second sector we are so bad because when I touch the kerbs it upsets the car. It was incredibly difficult.

“It is jumping around a lot and not absorbing the bumps or kerb strikes. In the last corner, the amount of times I almost jumped into the wall was incredible. We have had this problem since 2022, so it is not something new. For the past few years we have had a car advantage so it gets masked. But with everyone catching up, when you don’t improve your weakest point you get found out. It is a fundamental problem so it will not get fixed in weeks.”

Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, had a dreadful qualifying as he was knocked out in Q1 for the second straight season. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also had a Saturday to forget as he was knocked out in the first part of qualifying. The two Haas drivers of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were disqualified from qualifying after both cars were found to have non-compliant rear wings, but both will be permitted to start from the grid rather than the pit-lane.

Will Leclerc win his home race for the first time or can the likes of Piastri, Sainz or Norris spoil those plans? We will found it in the next few hours.