For nearly 68 laps, the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix seemed destined to be a rather dull and tedious affair.
Often regarded as the crown jewel of the F1 calendar – Monaco’s street circuit is notorious for its narrow and sharp corners which makes overtaking nearly impossible. It typically results in drivers languishing in the same position, stuck behind their competitors’ rear wing, unable to get past.
After a blistering start, Kimi Antonelli’s victory looked certain. The 19-year-old Italian driver delivered a near flawless drive for Mercedes, converting pole position to lead every lap and was so far ahead of any other competitor, Sky Sports F1 broadcast team were forced to search for other interesting parts of the race – devoting commentary to midfield battles, power unit failures and a slew of time penalties for speeding infringements.
Antonelli lapped nearly every driver – excluding Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and George Russell – and would have won the race with the biggest margin in Monaco’s history in the 21st century.
But a crash from hometown hero Charles Leclerc with 10 laps to go changed everything.
Leclerc hurtled into the barriers and triggered a safety car and subsequent red flag. Race officials rushed out to examine part of the track and realised pieces of tarmac and asphalt had come loose. Organisers chose to stop the race for more than 30 minutes and then opted for a standing restart.
The 20-second lead Antonelli boasted prior to the red flag had evaporated. All drivers now had fresh tyres, and a second-placed Lewis Hamilton was ready to hunt the teenager for the win.
But Antonelli held his nerve and proceeded to win his fifth consecutive grand prix and cemented a 68-point lead in the championship. A superb Lewis Hamilton finished second, with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in third.
Antonelli was beaming after the win, hailing Mercedes’s incredible pace.
“The car was feeling incredible and giving me the confidence to push. The job’s not finished, it’s still a long season and the goal is to keep performing like this,” he said post-race.
“I wasn’t super keen on restarting and I gather[ed] my emotions and refocus. Once I got away I knew I was going to get to P1.”
Oscar Piastri finished fourth, and could have been on the podium if the stewards had decided to act on claims of a red-flag infringement by Hadjar. Never the less, it was a strong day for Piastri, who started seventh and capitalised on the carnage around him. His teammate Lando Norris suffered a power unit failure and had to retire.
Car troubles were omnipresent around the grid, with seven cars notching a DNF (Did Not Finish) due to crashes or mechanical failures including former world champion Max Verstappen who stalled at the start of the race.
The day was perhaps darkest for Mercedes driver George Russell, who finished outside the points after several infringements and penalties. Russell is Antonelli’s teammate and closest rival, yet finds himself in a 68-point deficit in the championship race.
It’s far too early for wild predictions. But if his fine form continues, Antonelli looks set to become the youngest World Champion in F1 history.