Breaking: Drama in Monaco as Hamilton and Verstappen CLASH as Leclerc M…read more
Drama in Monaco as Hamilton and Verstappen CLASH as Leclerc M…read more
Qualifying for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix delivered high drama and major surprises, as Lando Norris claimed a sensational pole position for McLaren. The session was filled with crashes, red flags, and controversy—including a fiery on-track moment between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, the local hero, was denied pole on home soil by just over a tenth of a second.
The drama began early in Q1 when Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli suffered a heavy crash on his final flying lap. Pushing to escape elimination, the young Italian clipped the barrier and slid into the wall, triggering a red flag and abruptly ending his first-ever F1 qualifying session. At the time of the incident, Antonelli was clinging to 15th place—just enough to get into Q2—but with his car heavily damaged, he played no further part in the session.
Things only worsened for Mercedes in Q2. Just minutes into the segment, George Russell was forced to bring his car to a halt inside the tunnel, suffering what appeared to be an electrical failure. This brought out yet another red flag, disrupting many drivers’ flying laps. Neither Mercedes car made it into Q3, compounding a miserable day for the Brackley-based team.
The qualifying session also saw some unexpected eliminations. Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams, was knocked out in Q2, as was Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda—who has continued to struggle with reaching the final shootout this season. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto also failed to progress, while Alpine had a disastrous outing, with both Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto eliminated in Q1.
A particularly tense moment occurred between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, which caught the attention of the stewards. Verstappen accused Hamilton of “massive impeding” during a critical lap, and the incident will be investigated post-session. If found guilty, Hamilton could face a penalty, further complicating Ferrari’s chances in the race. Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll is under threat of a second penalty this weekend after blocking Gasly in the tunnel, despite already having received a grid drop from a separate incident in practice.
At the sharp end of the grid, Lando Norris stole the show with a blistering lap of 1:09.954, narrowly edging out Charles Leclerc by just 0.109 seconds. Oscar Piastri secured third, making it a strong showing for McLaren. Hamilton managed fourth, ahead of Verstappen in fifth, who appeared off the pace throughout the session.
Rounding out the top ten were Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon in the Haas, and Alex Albon in the lone Williams to reach Q3.
As the Monaco Grand Prix looms, the stage is set for a chaotic and unpredictable race on Sunday, with tight gaps, tempers flaring, and multiple penalties potentially reshuffling the grid before lights out.
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