Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli converted pole into his fifth consecutive Formula 1 victory, beating Lewis Hamilton after late drama in Monte Carlo.
Antonelli controls Monaco from pole
Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, controlling a disrupted 78-lap race at the Circuit de Monaco for his fifth consecutive Formula 1 victory.
The championship leader led from pole throughout the afternoon. Incidents in the final quarter repeatedly threatened his advantage, and a red flag set up an eight-lap sprint to the finish, with Lewis Hamilton joining Antonelli on the front row for a standing restart.
Antonelli held off the Ferrari driver into the opening corner, then built a 6.271-second winning margin. He completed the 260.286-kilometre distance in 2:23:31.243 and earned 25 championship points.
It capped a measured drive on a circuit where track position carries exceptional value. Antonelli took control at the original start, then did it again after the stoppage erased his previous advantage.
Verstappen’s start opens the door
Antonelli faced immediate trouble when fellow front-row starter Max Verstappen failed to launch his Red Bull properly. Drivers behind took evasive action, and Verstappen retired without completing a lap.
Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were left chasing the Mercedes. Antonelli quickly moved more than one second clear of Hamilton to prevent an immediate attack, then stretched the gap to five seconds by the end of lap 10.
Early pitters about to be lapped briefly reduced Antonelli’s lead to less than three seconds. He stayed in control after clearing the traffic. Motorsport’s results recorded four pit stops for Antonelli and five for Hamilton in a race defined by frequent strategic activity and late DNFs.
Passing opportunities are scarce around Monaco’s narrow 3.337km layout. Antonelli kept the lead through traffic, pit sequences and restarts without needing to regain track position through an unsupported overtaking move.
Crashes trigger red flag and sprint finish
Lance Stroll’s crash at Antony Noghes, the final corner, changed the race and brought out the safety car on lap 60. Teams rushed into the pits before racing restarted on lap 66.
That restart was brief. Leclerc crashed at the same corner, prompting another safety-car period before officials stopped the race on lap 68. A recently resurfaced section at the entry to Antony Noghes had broken apart and scattered loose asphalt across the racing line.
Neither driver linked his crash to the damaged surface. Stroll suspected an engine-braking issue, while Leclerc blamed his Ferrari’s brakes. The FIA cleaned and inspected the circuit during a stoppage of approximately 40 minutes.
Officials ordered a standing restart with eight laps left. Antonelli started ahead of Hamilton, covered the Ferrari into the first corner and completed the remaining distance without losing control.
Hamilton and Gasly complete podium
Hamilton took second for Ferrari, finishing 6.271 seconds behind Antonelli and scoring 18 points. Pierre Gasly secured a notable podium for Alpine in third, 20.369 seconds behind the winner.
Isack Hadjar finished fourth for Red Bull Racing, 3.025 seconds behind Gasly. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri followed in fifth, just 0.867 seconds behind Hadjar. Racing Bulls put both cars in the points, with Liam Lawson sixth and Arvid Lindblad seventh.
Alexander Albon placed eighth for Williams, Esteban Ocon finished ninth for Haas and Fernando Alonso claimed the final point in 10th for Aston Martin. Gabriel Bortoleto fell short by 0.849 seconds in 11th, while Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell was classified 12th.
Franco Colapinto finished 14th after receiving a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, with Sergio Perez 15th for Cadillac. Carlos Sainz was classified 16th after completing 70 laps. Leclerc, Stroll, Lando Norris, Oliver Bearman, Valtteri Bottas and Verstappen all failed to finish.
Fifth straight win strengthens title lead
Antonelli’s Monaco victory extended his winning streak to five races and strengthened his lead in the drivers’ championship. The run also equaled Hamilton’s best sequence of five consecutive wins with the Brackley-based Mercedes team.
Hamilton moved into second in the championship with his runner-up finish, 66 points behind Antonelli. Russell’s scoreless race dropped him to third, 68 points behind his team-mate.
The difference between the Mercedes drivers was stark. Antonelli collected the maximum 25 points from a race with two starts, multiple DNFs and shifting strategic conditions. Russell finished outside the top 10.
Formula 1 heads next to the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, scheduled for June 11-14. Antonelli will take five consecutive victories and a commanding points advantage to Spain, where Mercedes’ rivals will try to halt a streak that continued through one of the calendar’s least forgiving venues.
