McLaren’s Lando Norris Secures Pole Position at the 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco

McLaren's Lando Norris

A Thrilling Qualifying Session

McLaren’s Lando Norris pulled off a last-gasp lap to secure pole position for the 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco. This remarkable achievement denied Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a home pole in the closing seconds of qualifying.

Oscar Piastri also had a strong showing for McLaren, locking in third place. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton initially qualified fourth but received a grid penalty for impeding Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. As a result, Verstappen inherited fourth place.

“It’s been a long time coming, you know, so I feel good,” Norris remarked after his stunning pole lap. “I don’t think you realize how good this feels.”

Reflections on the Race

Norris reflected on the challenging circumstances and intense competition. “The hardest track probably to do it, up against the hometown hero as well,” he noted. “I'm very proud of the whole team. We’ve worked a lot this week, actually over the last few months, to get to a day like today.”

As the pressure mounted in the closing minutes, all eyes were on Leclerc to see if the Monegasque could secure another pole on home soil. But Norris rose to the occasion. With the clock ticking down, the McLaren driver delivered a flawless final lap. He jumped to the top of the timing sheets, taking his 11th career pole and his first around the streets of Monaco. Norris achieved this in spectacular fashion, setting a new track record with a time of 1:09.945.

Leclerc had to settle for second place in front of his home crowd. However, the Ferrari driver was satisfied with his performance.

“At the end of the day, this was the best we could do,” Leclerc stated. “I think the lap was really good.”

Grid Changes and Penalties

Shortly after the session, the front end of the grid was reshuffled due to a penalty for Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton received a three-place grid drop after being found to have impeded Max Verstappen during qualifying. This was a breach of Article 37.5 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.

Hamilton was on a slow lap approaching Turn 2 when his team incorrectly informed him that Verstappen, who was behind him, was “slowing down.” In reality, Verstappen was on a flying lap. Reacting to the radio call, Hamilton moved back onto the racing line at Turn 3, forcing Verstappen to abandon his lap.

The stewards determined that Verstappen was “undoubtedly impeded.” Hamilton expressed frustration at the team’s error. However, they ruled that incorrect radio guidance did not reduce the severity of the offence. As a result, Hamilton dropped from fourth to seventh on the grid. Verstappen moved up to fourth, and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar climbed to fifth. Fernando Alonso will now start sixth for Aston Martin, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon starting eighth. RB’s Liam Lawson secured ninth, and Alexander Albon rounded out the top ten for Williams.

Mercedes' Disappointment

Qualifying in Monaco is always unforgiving, but few anticipated that neither Mercedes car would make it into Q3. The team's hopes unraveled due to two separate incidents.

Rookie Kimi Antonelli appeared to narrowly escape Q1, putting in a strong enough lap to progress. However, his qualifying ended dramatically when he clipped the barrier at the Nouvelle Chicane, damaging his car. Although his time was good enough to avoid elimination, the damage meant he could not continue. He will line up 15th on the grid.

Things worsened for Mercedes in Q2 as George Russell experienced a sudden power failure on his first lap. The W15 shut down at speed, forcing a red flag and halting the session. Russell was understandably frustrated after showing strong early pace and felt confident in the car.

“Yeah, I felt like we were back in the groove. Q1, everything came easily, and I was feeling great in the car,” he explained. “And then, suddenly, for the first time this weekend, it came alive.”

Russell added, “At the beginning of Q2, even though I only did one corner, the car felt really good. I thought we could fight for the top four positions like we’ve done all season. However, coming up the hill, the car hit a small bump, and it all turned off.”

Looking Ahead to the Race

With a two-stop strategy being mandatory for tomorrow’s race, the stage is set for a thrilling Grand Prix around the streets of Monaco. The unpredictable nature of the circuit is sure to create excitement for fans and drivers alike.

The race is packed with a mix of skillful drivers, powerful cars, and a challenging course. As always, Monaco will provide a testing ground for the competitors, where every second counts. Lando Norris and McLaren have set the tone, but the battle for supremacy is just beginning.

As the teams prepare for the race, their strategies and performances will be put to the ultimate test in this iconic Monaco Grand Prix.