Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won the restarted Monaco Grand Prix from pole position for his first Formula 1 victory in nearly two years.
Leclerc finished about eight seconds ahead of McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri and nine seconds clear of Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. in third.
The Melbourne-born Piastri, now sixth in the overall standings, said: “The pace at the beginning was incredibly slow but it’s been a great weekend for the team.
“I’ve been strong the last few weekends but didn’t have the result to show for it. Nice to have a podium. Charles has been mega all weekend. They have been quick from the very first lap.”
Fellow Australian, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, was 12th and is 14th in the overall standings.
Leclerc was on pole for the third time in four years, but had previously never finished on the podium at his home race. His first win since Austria in July 2022 took his career tally to six, all with Ferrari.
“Tonight’s going to be a big night,” he told his team over the radio.
A Monaco victory felt extra special for him, having grown up in a flat overlooking the start-finish line watching cars zooming past below.
“No words can explain that. It was the race that made me want to be a Formula 1 driver one day,” Leclerc, 26, said. “Seeing so many of my friends on the balcony, so many people I know. It means a huge amount to me.”
The last 15 laps were the most difficult as the realisation of how much winning would mean dawned on him.
“I must say I was thinking about my dad,” Leclerc said of his late father. “It was a dream of ours for me to race here and win, so it’s unbelievable.”
Championship leader Max Verstappen started and finished sixth for Red Bull, whose other driver Sergio Perez went out of the race after a big first-lap crash.
The crash also took out Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, and caused it to be interrupted by a red flag for 40 minutes. The drivers were not hurt.
The race restarted on Lap 3 of 78 and the drivers pulled away cleanly but slowly, with Leclerc managing his tyres on a track notoriously difficult for overtaking.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was fourth and Mercedes driver George Russell held off Verstappen to take fifth place.
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh, with Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls), Alex Albon (Williams) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) completing the top 10. It was the same order as the starting grid, reflecting Monaco’s reputation as the hardest track to overtake in F1.
Source Agencies
