Lando Norris conquers Monaco in a GP with little action despite FIA ​​changes

In a historic day for the British team, Lando Norris took victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, securing one of the most thrilling triumphs of the season. This is the first time McLaren has won on the streets of the principality since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton got the win.

Photo: Lnfour

Norris managed to hold his first place. At the first corner after the start, Norris was forced to lock his tires to maintain his pole position. It was an unexpected, extreme move that could have cost him dearly. However, he managed to avoid contact and, more importantly, prevent Charles Leclerc from overtaking him, resolutely defending his lead on the narrow Monaco streets. The excellent team strategy and impeccable driving, let him to crossed the finish line in first place, consolidating the Woking team's strong run of form.

Charles Leclerc, the local icon, took the second step of the podium, delivering a solid performance in front of his home crowd. Third place went to Oscar Piastri, who joined Norris in the celebrations, completing a solid result for McLaren. With this result, the British team has achieved its sixth double podium finish of the season, a clear demonstration of the competitive level the team has achieved under the direction of Andrea Stella and with the young talent in its lineup.

Despite the excitement generated by a new format proposed by the FIA which required drivers to make two pit stops as a way to increase the action on track, the Grand Prix proved monotonous, with few overtaking moves. The current dimensions of the cars, combined with Monaco's narrow streets, made overtaking practically impossible, even with alternative strategies.

Furthermore, strict tire wear management led many drivers to lap at conservative paces for much of the race. Added to this was a marked team effort, which generated internal tensions and caused several drivers to get stuck behind other cars, caught in DRS trains, resulting in slow laps, constant traffic, and trailing cars with no real chance of making progress.

In this context, the positions remained virtually unchanged from the start. Williams driver Carlos Sainz express his displeasure after the race, pointing out that in a certain way "the positions were manipulated" by the dynamics of the circuit and the imposed strategies.

During the post race press conferences, most drivers described the race as boring. Despite the two-stop requirement, there were no significant changes or clear opportunities for undercuts or overcuts, as the teams' strategies were extremely conservative. Many prioritized tire management and pace control, resulting in a static and unexciting race.

Once again, Monaco leaves one clear conclusion: this is a race that's won on Saturdays. Whoever takes pole position usually takes the win. Norris proved this point, executing the race perfectly from qualifying to the final flag.