Race Notes - Norris wins in Monaco

By Mark Karp

Lando Norris won the Monaco Grand Prix from pole in his McLaren-Mercedes from pole.

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari finished second, 3.131 seconds behind the winner.

McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri finished third, 3.658 seconds behind.

The win is Norris’ second win of the season, and his fifth career victory.

Piastri continues to lead the Driver’s Championship.

Max Verstappen (20.572s) in the Red Bull-Honda finished in fourth, followed by Lewis Hamilton (51.387s) in the second Ferrari was fifth, Isack Hadjar (1 Lap) in the Racing Bulls-Honda was sixth, Esteban Ocon in the Haas-Ferrari was seventh, Liam Lawson in the second RB was eighth, Alex Albon in the Williams-Mercedes was ninth and his team mate Carlos Sainz took the final point in tenth.

Before the start with good weather, the teams were trying to figure out the mandatory two stop strategy imposed for this race. Some are looking to run long, some are thought to trying two quick stops on the first two laps.

14 of the last 20 Monaco GP’s have been won from pole position.

Norris starts on the pole with Leclerc alongside him on the front row, Piastri and Verstappen on row 2, Hadjar and Alonso on row 3, Hamilton with his grid penalty and Ocon on row 4, and Lawson and Albon rounding out the top ten.

Sainz in 11th, Tsunoda 12th, Russell and Antonelli in 14th and 15th in the Mercedes GP’s.

Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Hadjar, Ocon, Lawson and Albon on medium tyres, Verstappen, Alonso, and Hamilton on hard. Russell and Antonelli on hard.

At the appointed time the drivers took to the formation lap of the iconic race, lining up on the grid, the lights went out and the race began with Norris taking the lead and the order remains the same.

Later in the lap Bortoleto noses into Portia corner. The Virtual Safety car is out. Bortoleto gets the car moving.

Tsunoda, Gasly, Bearman and Bortoleto all pit.

At the end of lap 4 the virtual safety car is over and the race resumes with Norris leading Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Hadjar, Alonso, Hamilton, Ocon, Lawson and Albon in tenth.

On lap 7 Piastri has a 5-second gap to Leclerc.

On lap 9 Gasly hits the back of Tsunoda out of the tunnel and tore his left front tyre off, and limps around the track to the pits.

On lap 13 Hulkenberg pits and switches from medium to hard tyres and rejoins last in 18th.

The next lap Colapinto pits.

On lap 15 Hadjar pits for soft tyres and rejoins in eighth.

Alonso, and Ocon pit. Alonso for hard, Ocon for medium. Alonso rejoins seventh.

On lap 17 Norris sets fast lap at 1m14.659s.

On lap Hamilton pits for hard tyres and rejoins fifth.

On lap 20 Norris pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fourth.

Hajar pits for hard tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 21 Piastri pits for hard tyres and rejoins fourth behind Norris.

On lap 22 Leclerc pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins third - Verstappen leads.

Piastri sets fast lap at 1m13.818s.

At lap 25 Verstappen leads Norris by 10.5 seconds, followed by Leclerc (17.1s), Piastri (19.9s), Hamilton (25.4s), Alonso (45.3s), Ocon (46.8s), Hadjar (56.4s), Lawson (58.1s) and Albon (59.9s) in tenth.

A line of cars is following Sainz, Williams giving a gap to Albon ahead.

On lap 29 Verstappen pits for medium tyres and rejoins fourth ahead of Hamilton.

Ocon pits for hard tyres and rejoins tenth.

Norris is working his way through lapped traffic.

On lap 32 Lawson pits from eighth for soft tyres and rejoins tenth.

On lap 33 Albon pits for medium tyres and rejoins tenth.

At lap 35 Norris leads Leclerc by 6.3 seconds, followed by Piastri (12.0s), Verstappen (14.5s), Hamilton (22.1s), Alonso (49.3s), Hadjar (59.6s), Ocon (1m05.7s), Lawson (1 lap), and Albon in tenth - Sainz 11th, Russell 12th, Antonelli 13th, Tsunoda 14th.

On lap 38 Alonso pulls off the track at Rascasse with smoke coming out the rear.

On lap 42 Lawson and Albon pit both for hard tyres and rejoin still in eighth and ninth.

The leading five runners still need to make a second pitstop before the end of the race or they will receive a 30-second penalty.

Piastri in third comes out of the first corner and brushes his rear tyre but continues.

At lap 45 Norris leads Leclerc by 6.1 seconds, followed by Piastri (15.6s), Verstappen (16.9s), Hamilton (35.8s), Hadjar (1 Lap), Ocon, Lawson, Sainz, Albon, Russell, Antonelli,Tsunoda, Stroll and Bearman in 15th.

On lap 49 Piastri pits from third for hard tyres and rejoins fourth behind Verstappen.

On lap 50 Leclerc pits for f and rejoins third ahead of Piastri.

The next lap Norris pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins second - Verstappen leads but still needs to stop.

Russell cuts across the chicane after the tunnel - the team says to give the place back, but Russell says he would rather take the penalty,

On lap 54 Antonelli makes the same move at the chicane, but gives the place back.

On lap 55 Russell is handed a drive through penalty.

Sainz pits for medium tyres and rejoins ninth.

Russell takes the drive through penalty and rejoins tenth.

On lap 57 Hamilton pits from fifth for medium tyres and rejoins still in fifth.

At lap 60 Verstappen leads Norris by 0.7 seconds, followed by Leclerc (1.5s), Piastri (9.1s), Hamilton (50.6s), Hadjar (1 Lap), Ocon, Lawson, Sainz, Russell, Albon, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Stroll, and Bearman in 15th.

On lap 60 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m13.745s.

At lap 65 and 66 Russell then Antonelli pit.

Sainz lets Albon past into ninth place.

On lap 69 Russell sets fast lap at 1m13.483s.

At lap 70 Verstappen leads Norris by 0.5 seconds, but still needs to pit, followed by Leclerc (1.5s), Piastri (3.9s), Hamilton (54.2s), Hadjar (1 Lap), Ocon, Lawson, Albon, Sainz, Russell, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Bearman, and Colapinto in 15th.

On lap 71 Russell makes his second stop and rejoins 11th.

Leclerc is staying as close to Norris as possible.

Piastri in fourth has closed up behind Leclerc.

On lap 77 Verstappen pits from the lead and rejoins in fourth.

Norris leads Leclerc and Piastri across the finish. Norris set the fastest lap at 1m13.221s.