Monaco GP report: Lewis Hamilton second as Charles Leclerc’s race ends in disaster

Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari SF-26 tire, garage, pitlane, 2026 F1

Monaco Grand Prix 2026 results – The most predictable yet potentially unpredictable race on the Formula 1 calendar had finally arrived. Monte Carlo remains the Grand Prix of contradictions, where anything can happen despite appearances suggesting otherwise.

The main favourite was pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, who lined up with the best chance of victory but still had to contend with an aggressive Max Verstappen and two Ferraris eager to bounce back after a disappointing Saturday in which expectations had not been fully met. There were also plenty of storylines further down the order, with George Russell searching for answers and McLaren hoping to rediscover its form during Formula 1’s 1000th Grand Prix weekend.

For the opening stint of the 78-lap race, the entire top ten opted for the medium compound tyre (C4). Only Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas started on soft tyres, while Gabriel Bortoleto was set to start from the pit lane.

When the lights went out, disaster immediately struck for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman suffered a problem at the start and dropped to the back of the field, while Kimi Antonelli retained the lead ahead of the two Ferraris. The top ten at the end of lap one was: Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Isack Hadjar, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris, Liam Lawson and Alex Albon.

Verstappen’s race was effectively over before it had begun. A terminal engine issue forced him to retire after just three kilometres. Meanwhile, Bottas and Bortoleto stopped as early as lap two to switch to hard tyres in an attempt to reach the finish without another stop.

George Russell also found himself under scrutiny after a suspected false start, but race control quickly reviewed the incident and decided that no penalty was necessary.

After five laps, Antonelli had already opened a 3.8-second advantage over Lewis Hamilton, while Charles Leclerc sat 1.9 seconds behind the seven-time world champion. By lap ten, Antonelli’s lead over the Ferrari SF-26 number 44 had grown to 5.8 seconds.

Leclerc, however, was already unhappy. Over team radio, the Monegasque complained that he could not feel the car properly and lacked confidence behind the wheel. The gap to Lewis Hamilton had expanded to 4.2 seconds by lap ten, confirming his struggles.

Backmarkers started to come into play as early as lap 12. Antonelli lost just over a second while passing Lance Stroll, allowing Lewis Hamilton to reduce the gap to 3.5 seconds after encountering the Aston Martin in a more favourable section of the circuit.

Once the traffic phase ended, Antonelli’s pace was no longer as relentless as it had been during the opening laps. By lap 17, Lewis Hamilton had reduced the deficit to under three seconds.

Then the Mercedes driver responded immediately. Antonelli suddenly increased his pace and gained one and a half seconds over the next two laps, giving the impression that he had simply been managing the race.

Further back, an entertaining battle developed between George Russell and Isack Hadjar. The Red Bull junior complained over the radio that he was struggling to engage first gear at the famous Hairpin.

By lap 25, roughly one-third of the race distance had been completed. Antonelli held an 8.5-second lead over Lewis Hamilton, who in turn enjoyed a 5.7-second cushion over Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc’s difficult afternoon continued. Still unable to find confidence in the Ferrari, he ran wide at the chicane after the tunnel. At the same time, Antonelli was instructed by Mercedes to push harder and build a larger margin over Ferrari, preventing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from potentially working together strategically to slow him down later in the race.

The duel between Russell and Hadjar continued, but by lap 27 Antonelli had extended his advantage to 11 seconds. Lewis Hamilton then produced a couple of slower laps, allowing Leclerc to close back to 2.5 seconds by lap 28.

The first major strategic move came on lap 29 when Lewis Hamilton stopped for hard tyres. He rejoined in third place, 17 seconds behind Antonelli, but with clean air ahead and fresh rubber available.

Antonelli immediately increased his pace in response, while Hamilton needed two laps to bring the hard compound into its optimal operating window.

George Russell pitted on lap 32 in an attempt to undercut Hadjar. The Frenchman responded one lap later, but the strategy failed, with Russell emerging ahead.

However, bad news soon arrived for Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver had exceeded the pit lane speed limit and faced the possibility of a five-second penalty.

Meanwhile, McLaren endured an anonymous race. Lando Norris reported a loss of power from his power unit, raising concerns within the team.

Charles Leclerc stopped on lap 36 and rejoined 12 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, although the potential gap effectively reduced to seven seconds if Hamilton’s penalty was confirmed.

Antonelli remained comfortably in control and delayed his stop until lap 38. He rejoined easily in the lead and continued his pursuit of a Grand Chelem.

Lewis Hamilton’s frustration became apparent over team radio, with the Briton questioning whether his stop had come too early. On lap 42, the expected five-second penalty was officially confirmed. He now needed to maintain at least a ten-second margin over Leclerc to preserve second place.

Antonelli continued to dominate, setting the fastest lap on lap 45. Leclerc increased his pace and reduced the gap to 8.7 seconds, effectively only 3.7 seconds once Hamilton’s penalty was taken into account.

At the same time, Lando Norris’ troubled afternoon came to an end with retirement.

Antonelli lowered the benchmark again on lap 48 with another fastest lap. Oscar Piastri made his stop and rejoined sixth, while Leclerc continued his charge. By lap 52, he was within five seconds of Lewis Hamilton and therefore virtually occupying second place.

One of the race’s most symbolic moments arrived on lap 55. Antonelli caught and lapped George Russell, underlining the Mercedes driver’s dominance around the streets of Monte Carlo. Speeding penalties continued to be handed out, with Oscar Piastri becoming the fifth driver sanctioned.

With 20 laps remaining, the order was: Antonelli, Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell, Hadjar, Piastri, Gasly, Lawson, Lindblad and Albon.

The race then took a dramatic turn on lap 61. Lance Stroll crashed into the barriers, triggering a Safety Car. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both stopped, with Hamilton serving his five-second penalty during the pit stop.

Antonelli initially stayed out before pitting one lap later and comfortably retained the lead. All three front-runners switched to soft tyres.

Leclerc was far from happy. The Ferrari driver strongly disagreed with the decision to stop, a move that allowed Lewis Hamilton to keep second place. Throughout the afternoon, the Monegasque had been particularly vocal and critical over team radio.

Backmarkers were allowed to unlap themselves on lap 63, setting the stage for a late sprint to the finish.

Racing resumed on lap 65. Lewis Hamilton immediately attacked Antonelli but the Italian held firm. Moments later, another major incident changed everything.

Charles Leclerc crashed heavily into the barriers, bringing out another Safety Car and eventually a red flag due to debris scattered across the circuit. George Russell also received an additional five-second penalty.

The red flag halted the race while officials cleaned the track. Questions remained regarding the restart procedure, as multiple penalties still needed to be served and the final classification looked likely to change after the chequered flag.

During the stoppage, George Russell was handed a drive-through penalty for failing to serve his earlier five-second sanction correctly. The decision threatened to drop him out of the points altogether.

Lewis Hamilton was also investigated for his conduct under the Safety Car, although stewards ultimately decided that no further action was required.

The race restarted at 17:12 local time with a standing start and eight laps remaining. Antonelli held the lead from Lewis Hamilton, while Russell briefly ran third despite still carrying penalties.

Pierre Gasly occupied a virtual podium position but also had a five-second penalty hanging over him, opening the door for Oscar Piastri and others.

Russell eventually served his penalty and dropped to 14th place.

The final laps passed without further drama. Kimi Antonelli controlled the restart perfectly and cruised to victory, completing a remarkable Grand Chelem and opening up the first truly significant gap in the championship standings.

Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in second place, while Isack Hadjar completed the podium. However, several penalties remained under review after the finish, meaning the final classification required confirmation from the stewards.