Monaco, May 26 (HS): McLaren driver Lando Norris achieved a memorable victory in his career on Sunday, starting from pole position. By securing first place at the Monaco Grand Prix, he not only fulfilled his dream in this prestigious race but also narrowed the Formula One World Championship lead of his teammate Oscar Piastri to just 3 points.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished in second place during the race, while Piastri took third and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen came in fourth. Notably, the top four drivers completed the race in the same order as they began.
After his victory, Norris said, This is what I’ve dreamed about since childhood. Today, I made it come true. This marks his first win in Monaco and the first time a McLaren driver has won at this track since 2008.
During the race, a new strategy involving two mandatory pit stops was employed, but this did not bring about significant changes in terms of overtaking. Most drivers merely waited for an opportunity.
Verstappen quipped, It was an exciting race. I was on the edge of my seat every lap. Maybe next year there will be four pit stops. Even today, I would have come out in P4 after four stops.
Norris maintained control in the final section, where Leclerc was pressuring him from behind and Verstappen was experimenting with strategies ahead. Norris managed to lap all cars except for four during the race.
This is Norris’s second win of the season; he previously won the Australian Grand Prix.
This race was nothing short of a nightmare for Mercedes. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, while George Russell received a drive-through penalty and ended up in 11th.
Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar finished sixth, and Haas’s Esteban Ocon came in seventh. Liam Lawson secured eighth place, earning his first points of the season, while Alex Albon (Williams) and Carlos Sainz made it into the top 10.
A virtual safety car was deployed at the start of the race after Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashed into the wall. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was the first to retire after colliding with Yuki Tsunoda’s car. Later, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso also exited the race due to his smoking car.
The next race in the European triple-header will take place next week in Barcelona, where teams will compete with new strategies and hopes.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
