Lando Norris has pulled off a stunning coup at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, seizing pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in one of the most dramatic qualifying sessions of the season, made even more chaotic by a flurry of penalties that reshuffled the grid. But the real shock came later, when Lewis Hamilton, who initially qualified in P4, was handed a three-place grid drop for impeding Max Verstappen during Q1. As a result, Lewis Hamilton has been demoted to P7, with Verstappen now elevated to fourth, followed by rising star Isack Hadjar in fifth and Fernando Alonso in sixth.
The iconic streets of Monte Carlo saw chaos unfold early as Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli crashed out in Q1, eliminating himself before Q2 even began. His teammate George Russell was struck by misfortune too, suffering a power loss that caused a red flag and killed his shot at a competitive lap.
This shakeup at the sharp end of the grid sets the stage for a tense and unpredictable Monaco GP, where grid position is more valuable than pure race pace due to the track’s notoriously narrow layout.
Lando Norris Dominates Amid the Lewis Hamilton Chaos
While others stumbled at the Monaco Grand Prix qualifiers, Lando Norris was in imperious form, expertly navigating traffic and the pressure-cooker qualifying atmosphere to secure the top spot. It marks a significant moment in the 2025 title race, especially with teammate Oscar Piastri still holding the championship lead and starting just behind in third.
Charles Leclerc, the hometown hero and perennial Monaco hopeful, will be hoping for better race luck than in past years as he lines up on the front row. The Ferrari driver has been fast all weekend, but once again fell short in the final moments of qualifying.
Further back, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who had a dismal qualifying in P19, has been hit with two penalties, cementing his place at the back of the grid. Joining him is Ollie Bearman, who was sent tumbling ten places after overtaking under a red flag — a serious breach in F1 regulations.
The midfield also saw some surprises, with Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson, and Alex Albon all making the top 10 and poised to fight for critical points. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, could only manage 11th, continuing a frustrating streak of underperformance.
Full Monaco GP 2025 Starting Grid (Top 10):
Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson and Alex Albon.
With Lewis Hamilton‘s grid penalties wreaking havoc on qualifying results and Norris blazing ahead, Sunday’s race promises high drama on the streets of Monte Carlo. One thing’s sure: the 2025 Monaco GP will be anything but predictable.
