F1 heads to the streets of Monte-Carlo next up for round eight of the 2025 season, the Monaco Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen claimed an impressive victory last time out in Imola, overtaking pole-sitter Oscar Piastri at the start and securing his second victory of the season. McLaren’s Lando Norris beat teammate Piastri to second. Yet after seven rounds, Piastri still has a 13-point lead in the world championship.
Lewis Hamilton salvaged a fourth-place finish for Ferrari after a disastrous qualifying in front of the Italian fans, while Charles Leclerc finished sixth. George Russell, who qualified third, endured a race to forget and came home second.
Last year, on the tight twists and turns of Monaco, Leclerc won his home race amid jubilant scenes in the principality. This year, a mandatory two-pit-stop rule should shake things up come raceday.
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F1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Round eight of the 2025 F1 season takes place in Monaco
- FP2 started at 4pm (BST); Charles Leclerc was quickest in first practice
- PREVIEW: F1 rolls the dice with new Monaco GP rule - can it save the race?
- Oscar Piastri leads the world championship by 13 points
- EXCLUSIVE - George Russell: ‘F1 is riding a wave – but it won’t take much for it to come crashing down’
Max Verstappen:
16:07
,
Kieran Jackson
“Please fix the upshifts.”
Verstappen has also enquired about his helmet and visor at the start of this session..
FP2 underway!
16:00
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Kieran Jackson
Drivers will be doing their usual qualifying simulation laps this afternoon - with the similar track and time conditions to tomorrow - in this second hour of practice in Monaco!
Jacques Villeneuve blasts ‘weak’ McLaren for ‘really odd’ F1 strategy
15:52
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Kieran Jackson
Villeneuve, on punditry duties for Sky Sports F1, was critical of McLaren’s “really odd” approach to the finale in Imola.
"They [McLaren] show weakness, they don't show the strength that Red Bull are always showing year after year,” said 1997 F1 world champion Villeneuve.
"It's as if they're afraid to be aggressive in trying to win the Drivers' Championship, and they're afraid to go against Piastri. It's really, really odd.”
A close shave for Lewis in FP1!
15:46
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Kieran Jackson
Martin Brundle on two-stop rule:
15:40
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Kieran Jackson
“I like the idea, let’s give it a chance. It depends on safety cars or red flags, if they happen. I’m surprised they haven’t said one pit-stop must be in the second half of the race.
“Will the frontrunners hang on to pit on the penultimate lap?
It does mean that you can’t get out in front, go at F2 race, and keep position.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner:
15:37
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Kieran Jackson
On constructors’ title: “To take on McLaren in the constructors will be immensely difficult, our priority is the drivers. We’re still in striking difference, it was a timely win last week.
You’ve got to stay in touch in the summer, when the pressure really comes in the last quarter of the championship, he strikes!
On Newey being present for Aston Martin: “I haven’t seen him in green yet! Looks like a giant bogey!”
EXCLUSIVE - George Russell: ‘F1 is riding a wave – but it won’t take much for it to come crashing down’
15:30
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Kieran Jackson
I spoke to George Russell in Imola about his 2025 season so far and his hopes for his future in F1, and that of the future of the sport itself:
F1 driver standings heading into Monaco:
15:11
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Kieran Jackson
3. Max Verstappen – 124 points
4. George Russell – 99 points
5. Charles Leclerc – 61 points
7. Kimi Antonelli – 48 points
8. Alex Albon – 40 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 14 points
10. Lance Stroll – 14 points
11. Carlos Sainz – 11 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda – 10 points
13. Isack Hadjar – 7 points
14. Pierre Gasly – 7 points
15. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points
17. Liam Lawson – 0 points
18. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
19. Jack Doohan – 0 points
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
Lewis Hamilton nervous about reaction to new F1 film but planning more projects
15:00
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Kieran Jackson
The grid’s stars were given an exclusive screening of the action movie, titled F1, on Wednesday at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco ahead of this weekend’s grand prix.
“All of a sudden, I’ve got all the drivers there, I was sat in the middle and I was nervous,” Hamilton said.
“I was like, ‘oh God everyone’s seeing it for the first time’. And it was great to look around and see some of the reactions. I really care what the drivers think and I wanted them to think highly of it.
“I think the great thing is the sound is great, the image is incredible. It’s something that’s never been done in Formula One before. So it’s something I’m really proud of.”
PREVIEW: F1 rolls the dice with new Monaco Grand Prix rule – can it save the famous race?
14:44
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Kieran Jackson
Last year’s procession around the principality – where the order of the top-10 did not alter once – was the final straw. In an era where the show is king for F1’s owners Liberty Media, something had to change at the sport’s most famous race.
Where better to roll the dice than Monaco? Ahead of the 2025 season, the team bosses met and concocted a plan to revitalise a grand prix where overtaking is nigh-on impossible, given the immovable parameters of the famous twisty street circuit. All drivers will have to run three sets of tyres in the 78-lap race on Sunday, making two pit-stops effectively mandatory – unless there is a red flag, like last year.
Martin Brundle on Ferrari in Monaco:
14:30
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Kieran Jackson
“Charles has the historical experience with Ferrari, this year he has a car good in high speed, not low speed.
“The driver can make the difference here. Lewis is gun-ho, he’s mighty around this racetrack.”
14:18
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Kieran Jackson
Monaco GP start times:
All times BST
Friday 23 May
- Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 24 May
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 25 May
- Race: 2pm
Charles Leclerc insists Ferrari won't 'give up' on 2025 season
14:11
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Kieran Jackson
“No, we definitely don’t want to give up now” the Monegasque said ahead of his home race.
“I mean, we’re getting to mid-season soon, but we cannot afford to give up now. We’ve seen last year the situation changed a lot since when McLaren brought those upgrades.
“I believe that in Barcelona will be another very important point of the season with this new regulation on the front wings, and then we’ll see whether it benefits us or not.”
FP1 - TOP-10:
14:01
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Kieran Jackson
P1) LeclercP2) Verstappen +0.163P3) Norris +0.326P4) Albon +0.350P5) Piastri +0.378P6) Russell +0.518P7) Sainz +0.570P8) Gasly +0.705P9) Hamilton +0.726P10) Alonso +0.763
Mercedes team representative Bradley Lord, speaking to Sky F1:
13:59
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Kieran Jackson
On Russell: “He’s definitely stepped up into that leader role - he’s like the big brother, Kimi is the little brother. He’s maximised what we’ve got, scoring podiums when available.
On Russell’s contract: “In no rush, we manage George’s career as well as being the team he drives for! There’s no pressure. At the right time, him and Toto will sit down, it won’t take them long to thrash it out.”
Isack Hadjar:
13:38
“That was the busiest FP1 of my life.”
Traffic paradise in Monte-Carlo!
Charles Leclerc quickest in FP1!
13:32
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Kieran Jackson
Quite the session for Leclerc!
After the crash with Lance Stroll early in the session, the Monegasque goes fastest with a 1:11:964 - 0.163 secs quicker than Max Verstappen in second!
Lando norris is a few tenths further back, with Alex Albon in fourth and Oscar Piastri fifth.
6-10: Russell, Sainz, Gasly, Hamilton, Alonso
Charles Leclerc stays quickest!
13:25
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Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen a few tenths behind but the home hero Leclerc is still P1 with 5 minutes to go.
3-10: Norris, Albon, PIastri, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, ALonso, Hulkenberg
TOP-10 WITH 20 MINS TO GO
13:10
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Kieran Jackson
1. Leclerc
2. Norris
3. Sainz
4. Hamilton
5. Piastri
6. Russell
7. Verstappen
8. Tsunoda
9. Alonso
10. Gasly
Carlos Sainz heads off-track!
13:06
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Kieran Jackson
Sainz goes straight on at turn 1 Sainte-Devote, but reverses neatly back onto the track.
Sainz P5 right now.
Charles Leclerc:
13:04
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Kieran Jackson
“We are nowhere, understeer and oversteer.”
Oh dear.
Lando Norris quickest early on!
12:54
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Kieran Jackson
Session back on - every car out on track other than Lance Stroll, who is in the garage. His car must have sustained some damage in the crash too!
Norris quickest early on with a 1:13:036, four-tenths quicker than Max Verstappen in second (hard tyres) and Piastri a smidge further back.
40:00 left in FP1..
VIDEO: Leclerc in the back of Stroll
12:46
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Kieran Jackson
Here's how Leclerc damaged his front wing
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 23, 2025
Sound on #F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/lZkuzU2WoG
Charles Leclerc hits Lance Stroll!
12:41
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Kieran Jackson
Leclerc goes into the back of Stroll at the hairpin!
Leclerc: “Come on, uh we crashed, I don’t think he was aware about the blue flags.”
Leclerc’s wing is damaged, but he makes his way back to the pits with a damaged front-wing!
Red flag because of bits of carbon on the track!
FP1 underway!
12:31
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Kieran Jackson
The Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson are the first cars straight out on track in Monaco!
A host of cars quickly follow!
FP1 in Monaco!
12:28
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Kieran Jackson
It’s time for the first of three practice sessions in Monaco!
A beautiful summer’s day in the principality as the drivers look to immediately get in tune with their cars around this unique circuit!
Drivers all ready to go in Monaco!
12:26
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Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen did not attend Monaco screening of F1 movie
12:17
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Kieran Jackson
Verstappen did not attend the screening, opting to spend “private time” with his family including newborn daughter Lily.
"I wanted to spend more private time," he said. "There was the opportunity to watch it but if we watch it now or in three or four weeks its fine as well."
Martin Brundle, on receiving his OBE:
12:06
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Kieran Jackson
“It was lovely, handed an OBE by the Prince of Wales, I loved it. A beautiful day, we do pomp and ceremony so well in Britain.”
VIDEO: Verstappen reacts to win in Imola and first-lap overtake
11:42
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Kieran Jackson
F1 constructor standings heading into Monaco
11:30
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Kieran Jackson
1. McLaren - 279 points
2. Mercedes - 147 points
3. Red Bull - 131 points
4. Ferrari - 114 points
5. Williams - 51 points
6. Haas - 20 points
7. Aston Martin - 14 points
8. Racing Bulls - 10 points
9. Alpine - 7 points
10. Sauber - 6 points
F1 driver standings heading into Monaco
10:50
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Kieran Jackson
3. Max Verstappen – 124 points
4. George Russell – 99 points
5. Charles Leclerc – 61 points
7. Kimi Antonelli – 48 points
8. Alex Albon – 40 points
9. Esteban Ocon – 14 points
10. Lance Stroll – 14 points
11. Carlos Sainz – 11 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda – 10 points
13. Isack Hadjar – 7 points
14. Pierre Gasly – 7 points
15. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points
17. Liam Lawson – 0 points
18. Fernando Alonso – 0 points
19. Jack Doohan – 0 points
20. Gabriel Bortoleto – 0 points
Monaco GP start times:
10:44
,
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 23 May
- Free practice 1: 12:30pm
- Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 24 May
- Free practice 3: 11:30am
- Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 25 May
- Race: 2pm
F1 Monaco Grand Prix!
10:43
,
Kieran Jackson
F1 heads to the streets of Monte-Carlo next up for round eight of the 2025 season, the Monaco Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen claimed an impressive victory last time out in Imola, overtaking pole-sitter Oscar Piastri at the start and securing his second victory of the season. McLaren’s Lando Norris beat teammate Piastri to second. Yet after seven rounds, Piastri still has a 13-point lead in the world championship.
Lewis Hamilton salvaged a fourth-place finish for Ferrari after a disastrous qualifying in front of the Italian fans, while Charles Leclerc finished sixth. George Russell, who qualified third, endured a race to forget and came home second.
Last year, on the tight twists and turns of Monaco, Leclerc won his home race amid jubilant scenes in the principality. This year, a mandatory two-pit-stop rule should shake things up come raceday.