Kimi ‘little’ Duce’ Antonelli extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship with a composed victory in a dramatic Monaco Grand Prix that featured seven retirements, a Safety Car, and a late red flag.
Starting from pole position, the Mercedes driver made a clean getaway and immediately controlled the pace at the front. Behind him, Max Verstappen’s race unravelled within seconds when an apparent anti-stall issue at the start dropped the Red Bull driver to the back of the field before he retired shortly afterwards.
Antonelli steadily built a comfortable advantage over Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as rivals encountered a variety of technical and mechanical problems.
However, the race was turned on its head with around 20 laps remaining when Lance Stroll crashed at the final corner, triggering a Safety Car period that allowed many drivers to make a second pit stop.
The drama intensified after the restart when local favourite Leclerc crashed at the same corner as Stroll, bringing out a red flag while officials inspected damage to the barriers and track surface. Leclerc’s retirement proved costly, promoting Isack Hadjar into the podium positions.
The Red Bull driver secured his first podium finish for the team after Pierre Gasly dropped down the order due to two five-second penalties.
Hamilton finished second behind Antonelli, while Hadjar completed the top three. Oscar Piastri and Liam Lawson rounded out the top five.
Further down the order, Fernando Alonso claimed Aston Martin’s first top-10 finish of the season, while Cadillac’s Sergio Perez lost a points finish after receiving a post-race penalty for a false start.
Antonelli’s victory further strengthens his championship advantage heading into the next round.
2026 Monaco Grand Prix: Race Result
| Pos | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 3 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 5 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 6 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 8 | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 11 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi |
| 12 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi |
| 14 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 15 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac |
Retirements (DNF)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Carlos Sainz (Williams)
Fastest Lap: Not specified in the race summary provided.
