Ferrari did not have many realistic opportunities to fight for victory in the Monaco Grand Prix. On the other hand, starting behind the race leader around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo is never an ideal situation, especially at a circuit where overtaking is famously difficult. There was a genuine chance to secure pole position during qualifying on Saturday, and that possibility was discussed extensively in our usual technical analysis. Looking at the available data, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari appeared to have the pace required not only to secure a front-row start but potentially to claim pole position as well.
In the end, Ferrari’s best hope was always going to be the race start, even though the run down to the first corner at Monaco is extremely short and rarely allows dramatic position changes. By the time the chequered flag finally fell, Charles Leclerc had retired from the race following a late accident, while Lewis Hamilton secured Ferrari’s only podium result of the afternoon, crossing the line in second place for the second consecutive Grand Prix weekend.
Ferrari capitalises on Max Verstappen’s retirement
The tyre choice before the start was practically predetermined. Every driver on the grid selected the yellow-banded Pirelli Medium compound, which was widely expected to be the preferred race tyre. The strategy calculations pointed towards a straightforward one-stop race, with the Hard tyre likely to be used during the second and final stint.
As usual, the installation lap featured several radio exchanges between the Ferrari pit wall and its drivers. The discussions focused on optimising tyre preparation, activating the compounds correctly, and setting the brake parameters in the most effective way ahead of the opening lap. These details often appear minor from the outside but can have a significant influence on performance during the crucial first phase of a Monaco Grand Prix.
The first major twist arrived immediately after the lights went out. Max Verstappen suffered a poor clutch release and an ineffective getaway, allowing both Ferraris to move ahead. The Dutch driver’s race then deteriorated further, as he was eventually forced to retire because of a power unit-related issue.
At the front, Kimi Antonelli immediately began pulling away from the chasing pack. The Italian youngster wasted no time in building an advantage, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc concentrated on establishing a solid rhythm during the opening laps. During this phase of the race, there was considerable discussion regarding engine mappings and power unit settings, as Ferrari attempted to implement an early fuel-saving strategy.
On lap seven, Charles Leclerc reported some worrying sensations from the rear of the car. The Monegasque driver specifically mentioned unusual behaviour linked to the electrical energy recovery system and described the overall feeling as strange. Ferrari’s engineers immediately investigated the issue and later informed Charles Leclerc that all available telemetry appeared normal, with no anomalies detected on car number 16.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was keen to understand where race leader Kimi Antonelli was finding his advantage. Ferrari identified Turns 3 and 4 as particularly strong sectors for the Mercedes driver, suggesting that the leading car was extracting superior performance through those corners.
Although both Ferraris appeared reasonably competitive, Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes looked untouchable during the opening stint. At least on the Medium tyre, the W17 seemed to be operating at a different level. In just eight laps, the gap had grown to almost six seconds, underlining the impressive pace advantage enjoyed by the race leader.
Ferrari attempted to respond through a variety of setup-related suggestions and driving adjustments. The discussions largely focused on improving the balance of the SF-26, particularly through the final sector of the lap. Topics included differential settings at mid-corner, brake balance adjustments and brake shaping changes, all aimed at helping Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc unlock more performance.
Ferrari manages the opening stint
As is often the case in Monaco, the race gradually settled into a predictable pattern. The famous streets of the Principality once again produced a processional event where overtaking opportunities were almost non-existent and strategic possibilities remained extremely limited.
One of the more interesting talking points involved tyre degradation. Lewis Hamilton informed the Ferrari pit wall that tyre wear appeared significantly higher than expected. According to the seven-time world champion, the degradation levels were noticeably greater than the figures discussed during the team’s Sunday morning briefings and race simulations.
Although this observation was interesting from a technical perspective, it was not immediately considered a major concern. Up front, Kimi Antonelli continued to push relentlessly, maintaining an impressive pace and steadily increasing his advantage over the chasing Ferraris.
Ferrari’s pit wall remained highly active throughout this phase of the race. Engineers suggested a different approach to Turn 12, advising both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to enter the corner slightly more conservatively. The objective was to achieve a cleaner and more profitable exit trajectory, allowing earlier throttle application and therefore improving traction on corner exit.
By lap 27, Ferrari provided its first tyre phase update of the afternoon. The team reviewed the available data and confirmed that tyre performance had improved considerably compared to the opening laps. The initial phase had been somewhat difficult, but the situation appeared much more encouraging as the stint progressed.
Most likely, the tyres simply required additional laps to reach their ideal operating window. Once the target temperature range had been achieved, lap times stabilised and overall performance improved.
Lewis Hamilton eventually made his pit stop on lap 29. For several laps beforehand, the British driver had reported increasing degradation and a growing lack of front-end rotation. Ferrari responded by bringing him into the pits and fitting the Hard compound, exactly as anticipated before the race.
The introduction procedure for the new tyres was carefully planned. Lewis Hamilton was instructed to operate at a normal pace for the first three laps before gradually targeting a lap time in the 1:16.5 range. On the opposite side of the garage, Ferrari informed Charles Leclerc that a different strategic scenario, referred to internally as “Plan B”, was being considered.
Lewis Hamilton receives a penalty and faces fuel-saving concerns
Before making his stop, Lewis Hamilton had asked whether the relatively early tyre change represented the best strategy for protecting second position. Ferrari’s pit wall reassured him that the decision was correct and aligned with their race calculations.
Shortly afterwards, however, the team reminded Lewis Hamilton that the situation remained delicate and that additional pace would be required to meet the desired targets. As often happens in Formula 1, even apparently straightforward races can quickly become complicated.
An additional problem soon emerged. The FIA launched an investigation after Lewis Hamilton was suspected of exceeding the pit lane speed limit during his stop. Only a few minutes later, the stewards confirmed their verdict: a five-second time penalty.
Charles Leclerc subsequently made his own stop for Hard tyres. During the service, Ferrari also adjusted the front wing by four clicks in an attempt to improve the overall balance of the car. Brake balance settings were modified as well, while the team followed a cautious tyre introduction procedure similar to that used for Lewis Hamilton.
A few laps later, fuel management became a significant topic of discussion. Both Ferrari drivers were instructed to perform substantial lift-and-coast procedures, lifting off the throttle more than 150 metres before braking zones.
Initially, the instructions appeared related to power unit temperatures or brake management. However, considering the engine mappings being used, it soon became clear that fuel consumption was the primary concern.
This development was far from ideal for Lewis Hamilton, who was already carrying a five-second penalty and therefore needed to maximise every available second. Charles Leclerc was placed in a similar situation and also had to perform extensive fuel-saving measures throughout the middle phase of the race.
An interesting detail emerged during this period. It initially appeared that Ferrari’s drivers had not yet been officially informed about Lewis Hamilton’s penalty. Nevertheless, Charles Leclerc suddenly began increasing his pace and rapidly reduced the gap to his teammate. It is entirely possible that the information had been communicated through steering wheel displays rather than traditional radio messages.
Charles Leclerc crashes into the barriers after brake trouble
As the race progressed, various radio communications suggested that both Ferrari drivers were fully aware of Lewis Hamilton’s penalty situation. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, continued requesting additional power from the SF-26.
The race remained relatively uneventful until lap 59, when Lance Stroll’s accident triggered a Safety Car deployment. Ferrari immediately called both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc into the pits, a strategic decision that clearly frustrated the Monegasque driver.
Charles Leclerc believed he could have emerged ahead of Lewis Hamilton, particularly considering that the British driver had already effectively served the majority of his five-second penalty before the stop sequence. Unsurprisingly, Charles Leclerc made his disappointment clear over team radio.
The Safety Car period lasted considerably longer than expected. Eventually, racing resumed with only 12 laps remaining. Unfortunately for Ferrari and its home driver, disaster struck almost immediately.
At Turn 19, Charles Leclerc suddenly locked the front axle and crashed into the barriers. The impact brought his race to an abrupt and frustrating conclusion. The Ferrari driver reacted angrily over the radio, directing his frustration toward the braking system after what appeared to be a brake-related issue.
Following a lengthy interruption lasting more than half an hour, the Monaco Grand Prix resumed with a standing start. Lewis Hamilton launched cleanly from the grid, but so did race leader Kimi Antonelli, who comfortably maintained control of the race.
From that point onwards, there were no major changes in the order. Lewis Hamilton safely brought the Ferrari home in second position, securing another valuable podium finish and extending his run of strong results.
As Ferrari reflects on the Monaco weekend, one statistic in particular deserves careful analysis. Before the Safety Car intervention, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had been losing substantial time to Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes.
The size of the gap was significant and highlighted the superiority displayed by the German team throughout the race. Perhaps most concerning for Ferrari is the fact that this performance deficit emerged on a circuit where the usual engine-related disadvantage of the Italian car was effectively neutralised. That reality may provide one of the most important talking points for Ferrari’s engineers as attention now turns to the next round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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