The Monaco Grand Prix began with immediate drama as the lights went out in the Principality. Kimi Antonelli made the perfect getaway from pole position, keeping control of the race into the opening metres, but the biggest shock came just behind him as Max Verstappen’s race unravelled before it had even properly begun.
The Red Bull driver appeared to stall at the start, dropping to the back of the field in a nightmare moment on one of the most unforgiving circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. Around Monaco, where overtaking is famously difficult and track position is everything, losing places at the start is already a major blow. For Max Verstappen, however, the situation quickly became even worse.
As the field streamed through the opening lap, Max Verstappen was seen limping around the circuit with what appeared to be a technical issue. The Dutchman’s car was clearly not running normally, and his hopes of fighting for victory disappeared almost instantly. After a disastrous getaway and a slow first lap, he was forced to retire from the race.
Ferrari immediately took advantage of Red Bull’s misfortune. Lewis Hamilton moved up to second place, putting himself directly behind race leader Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc climbed to third in front of his home crowd. It was a dream opening lap for the Maranello team, which suddenly found both cars in podium position after starting from the second row.
For Ferrari, the start could prove decisive. Monaco is a race often shaped by the first few hundred metres, and with overtaking opportunities extremely limited, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc now have a major chance to convert track position into a strong result.
At the front, Kimi Antonelli remains in control after a clean launch from pole, but the pressure behind him has changed completely. Instead of defending from Max Verstappen, the Mercedes driver now has two Ferraris chasing him, with Lewis Hamilton leading the Scuderia’s attack and Charles Leclerc right behind.
It was a dramatic opening to the Monaco Grand Prix and a brutal reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1. For Max Verstappen, the race was over almost before it started. For Ferrari, the door to a huge result in Monte Carlo has suddenly opened.
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