Kimi Antonelli, Monaco GP 2026
© Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli, in a race filled with chaos, won the Monaco Grand Prix handily in his Mercedes GP, leading every lap of a race that featured two Safety Cars, and a Red Flag.
Lewis Hamilton in his Ferrari took second place, 6.271 seconds behind,
On track Pierre Gasly in the Alpine-Mercedes finished third, but dropped down the order after a 5-second penalty was applied, which promoted Isack Hadjar in his Red Bull-Ford too third place 23.394 seconds behind the winner.
The win is Antonelli’s fifth consecutive win,
Hamilton jumps up to second place in the Drivers Championship, and trails Antonelli by 66 points, Russell drops to third 2 points further behind.
Antonelli’s victory is the youngest Monaco winner.
Antonelli is the first Italian to win in Monaco since Jarno Trulli in 2004.
Hamilton’s podium finish is his eighth podium finish at Monaco – tying Ayrton Senna’s record at the Principality.
Hadjar’s third place is his second career podium finish.
Hamilton jumps to third in the Drivers Championship.
Oscar Piastri (24.261s) in the McLaren-Mercedes was fourth, followed by Liam Lawson (26.553s) in the Racing Bull-Ford in fifth, his team mate Arvid Lindblad (29.010s) in sixth, Pierre Gasly (30.369s) in the Alpine demoted to seventh, Alex Albon (33.413s) in the Williams-Mercedes in eighth, Esteban Ocon (37.140s) in the Haas-Ferrari in ninth, and Sergio Perez (38,153s) taking Cadillac’s first point in tenth place.
Before the start the weather was sunny, Antonelli on pole with Verstappen alongside on the front row, Hamilton and Leclerc on row 2, Hadjar and Russell on row 3, Piastri and Norris on row 4, and Gasly and Lawson rounding out the top ten.
Bortoleto has mechanical issues, and will start at the back.
At the appointed time the field came around on the formation lap, and lined up on the grid, the lights go out and the race starts with Antonelli off the line in first, Verstappen stalls in second place. Into the first turn Antonelli leads Ant, Ham, Lecle, Had, Rus. Pia Gas Nor Law Sai in tenth.
On lap 4 Antonelli leads Hamilton’s Ferrari by 3.9 seconds, followed by Leclerc (6.2s), Hadjar (8.2s), and Russell (11.0s) in fifth.
Russell was investigated for a false start, but was cleared by the stewards.
On lap 9 Norris is closing on Gasly in seventh place.
Perez is handed a drive through penalty for being out of position on the start.
On lap 10 Bearman pits.
On lap 12 Hamilton asks the team where he can make time.
On lap 13 Hulkenberg pits for hard tyres.
At lap 15 Antonelli leads Hamilton by 3.6 seconds, followed by Leclerc (8.4s), Hadjar (15.2s), Russell (16.2s), Piastri (24.0s), Gasly (30.6s), Norris (31.8s), Lawson (37.9s), Albon (40.0s) in tenth, Sainz (44.8s), Colapinto (47.6s), Lindblad (49.8s), Hulkenberg (58.4s), Ocon (1m04.3s), Alonso, Stroll, Perez, Bortoleto, and Bearman in 20th.
On lap 18 Bottas is pushed into the garage.
On lap 20 Hadjar in fourth is nursing and issue with 1st gear, and Russell is closing behind him.
At lap 25 Antonelli leads Hamilton by 8.8 seconds, followed by Leclerc (14.2s), Hadjar (36.7s), Russell (37.5s), Piastri (41.9s), Gasly (49.3s), Norris (50.4s), Lawson (59.6s) and Albon (1m02.3s) in tenth.
On lap 29 Hamilton pits from second switching to hard tyres and rejoins in third behind Leclerc.
On lap 32 Russell pits from fifth for hard tyres and rejoins eighth behind Norris.
On lap 33 Hadjar pits from fifth for hard tyres and rejoins eighth behind Russell.
On lap 35 Hamilton is given a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pits.
On lap 36 Leclerc pits from second place for hard tyres and rejoins in third behind Hamilton.
Antonelli leads Hamilton by 33.4 seconds, followed by Leclerc (47.1s).
On lap 37 Antonelli pits for hard tyres and rejoins still in the lead.
On lap 38 Antonelli leads Hamilton by 13.6 seconds (with a 5-second penalty), followed by Leclerc (24.7s) who is being investigated for speeding in the pits.
Russell is handed a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pits.
On lap 42 Colapinto is handed a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pits.
On lap 44 Antonelli sets fast lap at 1m15.716s.
On lap 46 Norris pits and retires.
On lap 49 Piastri pits.
At lap 50 Antonelli leads Hamilton by 21.7 seconds, followed by Leclerc (27.1s), Russell (1m13.2s), Hadjar (1 Lap), Piastri, Gasly , Lawson , Sainz (s), and Lindblad in tenth.
On lap 52 Gasly is being investigated for speeding in the pits.
On lap 54 Sainz pits and rejoins in tenth ahead of his team mate Albon.
Piastri is under investigation for speeding in the pits.
On lap 55 Antonelli sets fast lap at 1m14.990s.
Mercedes tell Antonelli that they don’t need any fast laps.
On lap 59 Sainz lets Albon by into tenth place.
Leclerc brushes the barrier en
On lap 60 Stroll hits the barrier after Rascasse and the safety car is out.
Hamilton pits and takes his 5-second penalty and takes soft tyres.
Leclerc takes soft tyres as well.
Antonelli pits the next lap from the lead for soft tyres.
Behind the safety car Antonelli leads Hamilton, Leclerc, Hadjar, Russell, Gasly, Piastri, Lawson, Lindblad and Albon in tenth, Sainz, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Alonso, Perez and Bortoleto in 17th.
At the end of lap 65 the safety car comes in and the race resumes with Antonelli leading Leclerc hits the wall at the final corner and is out, the safety car is out again.
Behind the safety car Antonelli leads Hamilton, Hadjar, Russell, Gasly, Piastri, Lawson, Linblad, Albon and Sainz in tenth.
Russell has been notified he didn’t serve his 5-second penalty and may face another penalty. Gasly faces the same penalty.
The Red Flag is flown, and the cars come back and park in the pitlane. The stewards are investigating if the track surface is breaking up and whether the race can continue.
Parked in the pitlane Antonelli is in the lead, followed by Hamilton, Hadjar, Russell, Gasly, Piastri, Lawson, Lindblad, Albon, Sainz in tenth, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Alonso, Perez and Bortoleto in 16th place.
Russell is handed a drive-through penalty for not serving his previous 5-second penalty.
The Stewards signal that the race will resume in 10-minutes time.
The drivers get prepared again and get in their cars.
Antonelli, Hamilton, Hadjar, Russell, Gasly, Piastri and Lawson are on the first lap. Russell has a drive-though penalty and Gasly has a further 5-second penalty.
The green light at the end of the pitlane, and the cars take the circuit Antonelli behind the Safety Car.
The cars form on the grid, the lights go off and the race resumes, Antonelli gets the lead Hamilton in second, Russell in third is slow with all the cars closely behind. Sainz is slow after contact. Antonelli is 1.3 seconds ahead of Hamilton, Russell 6 seconds back.
On lap 73 Russell pits for his penalty. 114585
On lap 74 Antonelli is followed by Hamilton, Gasly, Hadjar, Piastri, Lawson, Lindblad, Albon, Hulkenberg and Ocon tenth.
Antonelli sets fast lap at 1m13.958s.
On lap 75 Antonelli sets fast lap at 1m13.481s.
A 10-second penalty is handed to Hulkenberg for contact with Sainz.
Antonelli crosses the checkered flag for the win ahead on Hamilton and Gasly in third, but is demoted with his 5-second penalty.
