BREAKING:Monaco Grand Prix Grid Shake-Up After Multiple Penalties: Full… read more
The 2025 Monaco Grand Prix is already full of intrigue even before the first corner, thanks to a reshuffling of the starting grid due to multiple driver penalties. Lando Norris put in a stellar performance in Saturday’s qualifying to grab pole position for McLaren, narrowly edging out local favorite Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by just a tenth of a second.
Norris will be flanked by his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in third, giving the Woking-based team a solid front-line formation. However, Leclerc will have a more challenging task, as he no longer has the advantage of a Ferrari teammate alongside him on the second row. Lewis Hamilton was originally set to start in fourth but was handed a grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying. As a result, the seven-time world champion has been pushed back to seventh place.
Benefiting from Hamilton’s penalty is Verstappen, who now takes up the fourth spot on the grid for Red Bull Racing. This could be a critical advantage for the reigning world champion, especially on a narrow and notoriously difficult circuit like Monaco, where overtaking is at a premium.
In an exciting twist, the third row will see a blend of youth and experience. Rookie Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls has claimed a spot on row three, marking a significant achievement in just his first Monaco Grand Prix weekend. He is joined by veteran driver Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, who continues to show his competitive edge well into his 40s.
Row four features Hamilton in seventh and Esteban Ocon of Haas in eighth. This places Hamilton in a difficult position to fight for a podium, especially given the tight confines of the Monte Carlo streets. Completing the top ten are Liam Lawson, also from Racing Bulls, in ninth, and Alex Albon of Williams in tenth.
Notably absent from the top half of the grid is the Mercedes team. George Russell, hampered by a power unit issue in Q2, will start 14th, while his rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli lines up just behind in 15th. Antonelli’s weekend took a hit early when he crashed during Q1, failing to make it into the higher rounds of qualifying.
Further back, penalties continue to shape the grid. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin has been handed two separate penalties: a one-place grid drop for causing a collision during practice and an additional three-place penalty for impeding another driver. This has relegated him to the rear of the field.
Haas driver Oliver Bearman has also been severely impacted. The young Brit received a 10-place grid drop for overtaking under red flag conditions, a serious safety violation, which has placed him at the very back of the grid.
As the lights prepare to go out at 1500 local time, the reshuffled grid adds another layer of unpredictability to a race already famed for its drama. The official coverage begins at 1400, promising fans a thrilling spectacle from start to finish.
