F1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- Kimi Antonelli wins the Monaco Grand Prix; Hamilton 2nd; Hadjar 3rd
- Click HERE for the top-10
- OUT! Lando Norris retires with an engine issue
- OUT! Max Verstappen stalls at start
- NEW: Kim Kardashian ignores Martin Brundle in awkward F1 grid encounter in Monaco
George Russell lambasts costly penalty at Monaco GP: ‘It doesn’t fit the crime’
19:30 , Kieran Jackson
George Russell was critical of the stewards’ decision to give him a drive-through penalty, which cost him valuable points at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.
The British driver, starting in sixth with Mercedes teammate and title rival Kimi Antonelli on pole, gained a place at the start and eventually passed Isack Hadjar with his first pit-stop.
However, alongside a host of other drivers, Russell was handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit-lane. Yet when he next pitted amid the late safety car chaos, Russell’s Mercedes team forgot to serve their penalty.
Full quotes below:
George Russell lambasts costly F1 penalty at Monaco GP: ‘It doesn’t fit the crime’
NEW: Fernando Alonso gets Aston Martin's first point
18:41 , Kieran Jackson
A sad moment for Cadillac.
They are denied their first F1 point after Sergio Perez (10th) was given a 10-second time penalty for being out of position at the restart.
That promotes Alonso to P10 and Aston’s first points of the season!
Esteban Ocon after finishing 9th:
18:30 , Kieran Jackson
“We got everything right, we made the right calls, and the strategy was great. We managed to keep out of trouble with the last corner as well, which was tricky. It was very tough, but I did it for this team.
“After 20 laps, I thought I couldn’t finish the race, but then we got to the end in P9. It’s very well deserved, I’m super happy, it shows you should never give up. On a track where it’s very difficult to overtake, you never know what’s going to happen.”
RACE REPORT: Kimi Antonelli sets new F1 record with dramatic win ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Monaco
17:46 , Kieran Jackson
Kimi Antonelli drove into the history books by becoming the youngest winner of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Antonelli, 19 years and nine months, delivered an emphatic performance – after the 72nd edition of the prestigious race was suspended on the 68th lap for track repairs – to usurp Lewis Hamilton’s 16-year record.
Hamilton, who finished runner-up to Antonelli here, was 23 when he took his first of three triumphs in the principality in 2008.
Kimi Antonelli sets new record with dramatic win ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Monaco
George Russell after finishing outside the top-10:
17:31 , Kieran Jackson
“Firstly, I’m not too sure why we got a penalty - I was on the pit-limiter before the line and after the line, clearly there’s a problem in the software. Five seconds, not ideal, not the end of the world.
“Confusion in the pit-stop - getting a drive-through... the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. P3 down to P14.
“I just asked ‘can we review it afterwards’, if I serve the drive-through now... I probably gained a tenth of a second and it cost me 12 positions. They said rules are rules; you don’t serve your penalty, it’s a drive-through.
“Could’ve won the race 2 weeks ago, could’ve come third today ... 40 points cost.”
Charles Leclerc after his crash and retirement:
17:17 , Kieran Jackson
Cause of crash? “Brakes. It doesn’t help to have asphalt coming off, but data speaks for itself, I don’t know how much I can go into detail.
“I’ve always been honest and no matter how many mistakes I have, I would want to look in the mirror
“There’s something with those brakes - front brakes did it much too long, it was like I had no rear brakes. It’s what I’m dealing with for two races now.
“I don’t think it’s been a disadvantage for me at all - it’s been an absolute nightmare, I don’t have much words, today I look like an idiot
“When you make a mistake which is yours it’s fine, but today is borderline dangerous.”
On issue: “We do have the solution. I’ll go into Lewis’ direction from next race onwards.”
Time for the podium
17:04 , Kieran Jackson
One of the most famous podiums in Formula 1 and Kimi Antonelli stands on top of it - a famous win in Monaco for the teenager.
Toto Wolff is the Mercedes man on the podium with his great protege.
A proud moment as Antonelli stretches his lead to 66 points - with Hamilton now his closest challenger in second!
Kimi Antonelli after his victory in Monaco:
16:48 , Kieran Jackson
“It’s been an incredible weekend, incredible race - one of those days where we had incredible pace. The car was giving me the confidence to push, it was a very enjoyable day.
“The job is not finished, it’s a long season. We have to keep breaking the bar and keep performing like this. The team have given us an incredible car, it’s a really good moment so far.
“I wasn’t super keen on restarting! I just gather my emotions and thoughts, looked at some data, get tyres in right temperature - once I got away I knew we’d make it into turn 1 ahead.”
Lewis Hamilton on team radio:
16:37 , Kieran Jackson
“Great job guys, sorry I couldn’t get the win in the end, they just had the upper hand on us this weekend, greatful for all the hard work, let’s keep pushing.”
Kimi Antonelli:
16:32 , Kieran Jackson
“Thank you so much guys, car was a beas today - my goodness, thank you so much!”
Top-10 in Monaco - CORRECTION:
16:31 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli
2. Hamilton
3. Hadjar*
4. Piastri
5. Lawson
6. Lindblad
7. Gasly
8. Albon
9. Ocon
10. Perez**
*Hadjar under investigation for a red flag infringement
**Perez under investigation for a red flag infringement
If Perez gets away with it, that’d be Cadillac’s first point in Formula 1!
Kimi Antonelli wins the Monaco Grand Prix
16:27 , Kieran Jackson
Another stunning victory for Kimi Antonelli, who wins his fifth grand prix in a row.
Lewis Hamilton takes second place, with Isack Hadjar taking third place after Pierre Gasly’s penalty is added!
4-10: Piastri, Lawson, Lindblad, Gasly, Albon, Hulkenberg, Ocon
Final lap
16:25 , Kieran Jackson
Antonelli already has a 4.6 second lead over Hamilton as we head into the final lap.
With Russell out of points, Antonelli about to head to a 68-point lead over his teammate.
Gosh...
Top-10:
16:23 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli
2. Hamilton
3. Gasly*
4. Hadjar
5. Piastri
6. Lawson
7. Lindblad
8. Albon
9. Hulkenberg
10. Ocon
*10 second penalty
Russell serves drive-through penalty (Lap 73/78)
16:21 , Kieran Jackson
Ah dear.
Russell drops from third to 14th - and out of the points.
A torrid weekend for Russell.
Carlos Sainz out (Lap 71/78)
16:20 , Kieran Jackson
Sainz’s car hits Hulkenberg - and he’s out!
Antonelli keeps the lead (Lap 71/78)
16:18 , Kieran Jackson
A good start from the Italian and he keeps the lead!
Hamilton in second - and Russell gets up to third!
Hadjar down to fifth.
Russell only has 2 racing laps before he has to dive in for his drive-through penalty...
Standing start (Lap 70/78)
16:15 , Kieran Jackson
It will be a standing start.
Meanwhile, Antonelli’s engineer is telling his driver to avoid that broken-up surface at the final corner.
But what about this start, then... can Hamilton get in front?!
Safety car leads pack around (Lap 69/78)
16:14 , Kieran Jackson
With about half a dozen cars having just sped round to unlap themselves, the safety car leads the pack around with Antonelli at the front.
How many laps behind the safety car will we have?
Hamilton, meanwhile, has been cleared for his potential safety car infringement.
And will it be a standing start or rolling start?
A reminder of the top-10:
16:10 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli
2. Hamilton
3. Hadjar
4. Russell
5. Gasly
6. Piastri
7. Lawson
8. Lindblad
9. Albon
10. Sainz
Hamilton under investigation
16:07 , Kieran Jackson
Another investigation!
Hamilton is being looked at for a safety car infringement. Did he allow 10 car lengths in front of him to open up too much under the safety car?
FIA STATEMENT
16:02 , Kieran Jackson
Race will resume at 4:12pm BST.
That’s in 10 minutes...
Track repairs are complete.
Russell has a drive-through penalty
15:55 , Kieran Jackson
Good golly.
Russell has a drive-through penalty to serve when the race restarts.
He’ll have three laps to serve it... that may well put him out of the points.
VIDEO: Leclerc's crash
15:49 , Kieran Jackson
Onboard with Charles Leclerc for his crash, prior to the Red Flag! 👇#F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/VdOHk9FSRM
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 7, 2026
Order of play during red flag
15:45 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli
2. Hamilton
3. Hadjar
4. Russell
5. Gasly
6. Piastri
7. Lawson
8. Lindblad
9. Albon
10. Sainz
11. Ocon
12. Hulkenberg
13. Colapinto
14. Alonso
15. Perez
16. Bortoleto
FIA STATEMENT
15:37 , Kieran Jackson
“Red flag is for inspection of track break-up at Turn 19.”
All the cars have come back into the pits...
RED FLAG (Lap 68/78)
15:36 , Kieran Jackson
The race director has opted to stop the race with 10 laps to go.
Is that to do with the tarmac breaking up at the final corner - which we suspect is the reason for Stroll and Leclerc’s crashes?
Gosh. What a dramatic end to this grand prix...
Leclerc out (Lap 66/78)
15:33 , Kieran Jackson
Leclerc just lost control of his car on the final corner - similar to Stroll - and he’s out of his home grand prix.
Leclerc: “Honestly I’m not even going to take the f****ing blame. These brakes!”
Safety car back out!
Leclerc out (Lap 65/78)
15:31 , Kieran Jackson
Safety car is coming in.
And Leclerc has crashed at the final corner before the race restarted!
Oh Charles...
Issue for Russell (Lap 64/78)
15:28 , Kieran Jackson
An error from Mercedes!
Russell did NOT serve his five-second penalty when he pitted - so he looks set to receive another penalty for not serving the initially penalty.
Bad to worse for Russell, currently in fifth..
Antonelli pits (Lap 62/78)
15:26 , Kieran Jackson
Antonelli, with such a big margin, takes a pit-stop.
He stays in the lead. But he’s now got a whole load of cars behind him before Hamilton in P2.
They’ll need to unlap themselves... this will take some time...
Ferrari pit both cars (Lap 61/78)
15:23 , Kieran Jackson
Hamilton serves his five-second penalty in the pit-lane and Leclerc comes in too.
Leclerc: “Why are we pitting?”
SAFETY CAR (Lap 61/78)
15:20 , Kieran Jackson
Lance Stroll has crashed into the barrier at the final corner!
It’s a safety car...
Top-10 after 60 laps
15:19 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli - leader
2. Hamilton +29.3*
3. Leclerc +3.1
4. Russell +49.0*
5. Hadjar +14.2
6. Piastri +8.2*
7. Gasly +13.9*
8. Lawson +15.2
9. Lindblad +39.1
10. Albon +2.5
*have to serve five-second penalties
Oscar Piastri gets a five-second penalty (Lap 56/78)
15:15 , Kieran Jackson
Something strange is happening in the pit-lane.
Piastri is now the SIXTH driver to get a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit-lane.
Is there something wrong with the limiter?
How strange!
Lindblad up to 10th over Albon (Lap 50/78)
15:07 , Kieran Jackson
An actual overtake!
Lindblad takes Albon on the main straight to get into the final points position!
Was it because Albon went straight at the chicane moments earlier?
Lindblad does still have to pit...
Lando Norris retires (Lap 45/78)
15:02 , Kieran Jackson
Norris is OUT.
It’s a power unit issue for the reigning world champion - and McLaren have retired the car.
That’s Russell up to sixth. Ah jeez....
Russell gets five-second penalty (Lap 39/78)
14:55 , Kieran Jackson
Another penalty for speeding in the pit-lane!
This time it’s George Russell.
Come on lads...
Kimi Antonelli pits (Lap 38/78)
14:52 , Kieran Jackson
Smooth as you like for Antonelli, who is 14.2 seconds clear of Hamilton after his pit-stop.
Top-10: Antonelli, Hamilton, Leclerc, Piastri, Gasly, Norris, Russell, Hadjar, Lawson, Albon
Leclerc pits (Lap 37/78)
14:51 , Kieran Jackson
Leclerc makes his way in - 3.3 seconds - and he comes out behind Hamilton in third.
The gap between the Ferrari drivers is now 13 seconds, so as it stands, Hamilton is all OK with that five-second penalty.
Hamilton gets five-second penalty (Lap 35/78)
14:48 , Kieran Jackson
Schoolboy stuff from Lewis Hamilton - he’s been given a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit-lane.
As it happens, it shouldn’t impact him too much... he’s out on his own in third.
Russell gets past Hadjar (Lap 34/78)
14:46 , Kieran Jackson
The undercut works!
Hadjar dives in with a slightly slower stop at 3.1 seconds - and Russell storms past at turn 1!
Finally Russell gets past the Red Bull...
Russell pits (Lap 32/78)
14:44 , Kieran Jackson
Mercedes make their move with Russell - a rapid 2.4-second stop - and he comes out in eighth.
Will Red Bull and Hadjar respond straight away?
Ollie Bearman is out (Lap 31/78)
14:42 , Kieran Jackson
Running right at the back, Haas have seen enough - they’ve brought Ollie Bearman in and he has become the third driver to retire from this race.
Lewis Hamilton pits (Lap 29/78)
14:40 , Kieran Jackson
The first mover in the front of the pack.
Hamilton’s stop is rapid and he comes out in third with plenty of clean air in front of him.
Will Mercedes respond immediately? I dont’t think they really need to...
Hadjar misses the chicane (Lap 28/78)
14:39 , Kieran Jackson
The Frenchman misses his braking reference at the Nouvelle chicane - and skips the corner!
Russell: “That’s a lasting advantage, he needs to keep the position back.”
Will the stewards get involved?
Antonelli's lead is building (Lap 25/78)
14:37 , Kieran Jackson
The Italian teen is now 10 seconds clear of Lewis Hamilton, who is 4.4 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Cruise control already for the championship leader!
Hadjar down on power (Lap 21/78)
14:30 , Kieran Jackson
Russell is right on the gearbox of Hadjar but can’t find a way through, despite the Red Bull driver really struggling with his car.
Hadjar: “Something is going to explode! The engine is not healthy right now.”
This the battle for P4.
Valtteri Bottas out (Lap 19/78)
14:27 , Kieran Jackson
With his Cadillac car overheating, the American team have retired Bottas - who was running towards the back of the pack anyway.
Top-10 after 18 laps (Lap 18/79)
14:26 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli - leader
2. Hamilton +3.0
3. Leclerc +5.1
4. Hadjar +9.4
5. Russell +0.9
6. Piastri +9.5
7. Gasly +5.2
8. Norris +0.5
9. Lawson +6.0
10. Albon +2.0
George Russell on team radio:
14:24 , Kieran Jackson
“Hadjar has front left graining; he won’t be out for much longer I think.”
Hadjar currently in fourth, with Russell within a second behind in fifth.
Lewis Hamilton on team radio:
14:23 , Kieran Jackson
“There’s a lot of degradation on these tyres, the rears are very hot.”
Hamilton is trailing Antonelli by 3.1 seconds now... is he slowly catching up the Mercedes?
Norris on Gasly's tail (Lap 13/78)
14:21 , Kieran Jackson
This is going to prove frustrating for Lando Norris.
He’s constantly within a second of Gasly in seventh but, such is the way in Monaco, there’s no route past so far.
At the front, the frontrunners are already lapping some cars that have already pitted and are at the back of the pack.
On lap 13. Jeez.
Kimi Antonelli storms to five-second lead (Lap 9/78)
14:15 , Kieran Jackson
The Mercedes man is not letting up here!
Antonelli has stormed clear, already 5 seconds ahead of Hamilton, with Leclerc in third.
At the start, Gasly stole a place up the hill from Norris after the Briton lost some speed behind Piastri.
Meanwhile, Russell has not been punished for the potential false start - he’s been given an all-clear from the stewards.
Top-10 after 5 laps (Lap 5/78)
14:10 , Kieran Jackson
1. Antonelli - leader
2. Hamilton +3.7
3. Leclerc +5.1
4. Hadjar +7.4
5. Russell +10.0
6. Piastri +15.7
7. Gasly +18.5
8. Norris +19.5
9. Lawson +21.5
10. Albon +23.1
Russell noted for false start (Lap 3/78)
14:07 , Kieran Jackson
This weekend is going from bad to worse for Russell, who has been noted by the stewards for a false start and being out of position on the grid.
Russell now fifth, after that Verstappen retirement.
Max Verstappen is out (Lap 2/78)
14:05 , Kieran Jackson
He has no power - and the Red Bull driver is out of the Monaco Grand Prix!
Max Verstappen stalls at the start
14:04 , Kieran Jackson
Oh wow!
Antonelli gets away well but Verstappen doesn’t get away at all!
Lewis Hamilton up into second with Charles Leclerc in third!
Verstappen is now dead last!
Monaco Grand Prix
14:01 , Kieran Jackson
Here we go then!
Kimi Antonelli on pole, alongside the legendary Max Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc behind them in third and fourth.
Who will get out of turn one at the start?
Antonelli leads the pack around for the formation lap with the top-15 all on medium tyres...
A reminder of the starting grid:
13:58 , Kieran Jackson
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Lando Norris (McLaren)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
11. Alex Albon (Williams)
12. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
16. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
17. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)
18. Ollie Bearman (Haas)
19. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
20. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
21. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Pit lane. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
What can McLaren do today?
13:54 , Kieran Jackson
ZB 🤝#McLarenF1 | #1000thGP | #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 pic.twitter.com/HLoekgNAb4
— McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (@McLarenF1) June 7, 2026
Kim Kardashian ignores Martin Brundle in awkward F1 grid encounter in Monaco
13:54 , Kieran Jackson
Kim Kardashian ignored Martin Brundle and his request for a conversation in an awkward encounter on the F1 grid at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.
Kardashian, who is supporting boyfriend Lewis Hamilton at F1’s crown jewel event this weekend, is in Monte Carlo with her sister Khloe and was present on the grid before the race.
Sky Sports broadcaster, and former F1 racer, Brundle was undertaking his usual pre-race grid walk when he asked Kardashian at the front of the grid: “How are you today?”
Kardashian decided not to engage with Brundle.
Full detail below:
Kim Kardashian ignores Martin Brundle in awkward F1 grid encounter in Monaco
Max Verstappen, who starts P2:
13:48 , Kieran Jackson
“We’ll see what we can do in the race.”
Good first lap? “I hope so.”
Time for the Monaco national anthem
13:46 , Kieran Jackson
Always a popular one - and one heard a bit more in recent years with Charles Leclerc’s victories - and well respected in the principality.
Bortoleto in the pit-lane
13:43 , Kieran Jackson
A frustrating one for the Brazilian - having stalled out of pit-exit, he has to start in the pit-lane.
Liam Lawson looks to be fine to start in P10:
13:37 , Kieran Jackson
On the radio: “Well done, everyone, very good job, I will try my best to make it worth it.”
Meanwhile, Gabriel Bortoleto has been wheeled back into the pits after stalling out of the pit-exit.
Should be fine to start in P16...
A reminder of the odds for round six:
13:34 , Kieran Jackson
No surprises that Antonelli is the firm favourite here...
- Kimi Antonelli: 1/2
- Max Verstappen: 13/5
- Lewis Hamilton: 6/1
- Charles Leclerc: 14/1
- George Russell: 50/1
- Isack Hadjar: 70/1
- Lando Norris: 125/1
- Oscar Piastri: 125/1
Reconnaissance laps
13:29 , Kieran Jackson
The drivers head out for their customary laps to the grid...
Lewis Hamilton has a bit of a moment at the Nouvelle chicane, locking up and going straight, but no bother.
As for Lawson, he’s headed out for his laps. So I wonder if they’ve fixed said issue?
We shall see!
Kim Kardashian in attendance in Monaco this weekend to watch Lewis Hamilton
13:24 , Kieran Jackson
If I had a pound for the number of times Kim has been shown on TV so far this weekend....
Lawson in trouble
13:17 , Kieran Jackson
Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle has just been told by Lawson himself that he is expecting a pit-lane start today.
Given he’s currently in the points in P10, that’s a real hammer blow for the Kiwi.
Work is frantic in the Racing Bulls garage to get the problem, whatever it is, sorted.
Top-10 - Driver standings ahead of Monaco GP
13:04 , Kieran Jackson
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 131 points
2. George Russell (Mercedes) - 88 points
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 75 points
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 72 points
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 58 points
6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 48 points
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 43 points
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 20 points
9. Ollie Bearman (Haas) - 18 points
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - 16 points
COMMENT: Why Charles Leclerc has bet big on Ferrari with new deal
12:57 , Kieran Jackson
For the devoted group of Formula 1 fanatics who follow the trials and tribulations of Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque’s irritable echoes over team radio at the last race in Canada were not a new occurrence. In fact, Leclerc’s frustration with his race engineer – and his Ferrari team in general – blew up to such a point that, two years ago, Leclerc swapped man-in-ear Xavi Marcos for Bryan Bozzi. Yet still, the snappy remarks continue.
“Let’s stop speaking until the last lap,” came the plea from Leclerc, after Bozzi informed his driver of teammate Lewis Hamilton’s superior pace. “You tell me the last lap – and anything absolutely critical.” Received and understood, Charlie. In the end, Leclerc finished fourth, 34 seconds behind Hamilton, who recorded his best-ever finish in second.
It may seem intriguing timing, then, when news of Leclerc’s Scuderia contract extension came on Wednesday morning. Fast-forward a fortnight and the malaise in Montreal is seemingly all forgotten and put to bed.
Full preview below:
Loyal or foolish? Why Leclerc has bet big on Ferrari – despite the warning signs
Drivers parade in Monaco
12:50 , Kieran Jackson
The 22 drivers on the grid have just done a lap of the Monaco circuit as we build towards this afternoon’s grand prix.
Constructor standings ahead of Monaco GP
12:45 , Kieran Jackson
1. Mercedes - 219 points
2. Ferrari - 147 points
3. McLaren - 106 points
4. Red Bull - 57 points
5. Alpine - 35 points
6. Racing Bulls - 21 points
7. Haas - 19 points
8. Williams - 7 points
9. Audi - 2 points
10. Cadillac - 0 points
11. Aston Martin - 0 points
George Russell ‘bamboozled’ after damaging F1 qualifying result in Monaco
12:35 , Kieran Jackson
George Russell was left “bamboozled” after another dent in his title tussle with Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli at the Monaco Grand Prix.
British driver Russell, in his fifth season at Mercedes, was the overwhelming favourite for the world championship at the start of the season but has only claimed one victory, at the season-opener in Australia.
Italian teen sensation Antonelli, meanwhile, has won the last four races and looks to be on his way to a fifth after claiming a sensational pole position around the streets of Monte Carlo, pipping Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to top spot.
George Russell ‘bamboozled’ after damaging F1 qualifying result in Monaco
Lando Norris after qualifying P8:
12:27 , Kieran Jackson
“I kind of did. I can’t expect a lot more, I think it’s just clear we’re a long way off - there was more potential in it, it’s just the gap to the others is too extreme - a weekend where we don’t have the confidence in the car, unlike last year.
“Expectations were not high from my side - and they were realistic in the end.”
Charles Leclerc after qualifying fourth:
12:20 , Kieran Jackson
On the crash: “It’s the result of the last two weekends being particularly messy. There’s something on my car - the consistency of my car... I overdid it.
“The feeling inside the car is so important - I love this track, it’s my favourite of the season. Being fast is not enough, you need to be confident and know how the car will react, I was getting on the brakes and didn’t know where I’d end up in the corner.
“There’s some damage to the car, not particularly concerned that it will have any impact on tomorrow.”
Monaco GP winner odds
12:10 , Kieran Jackson
No surprises that Antonelli is the firm favourite here...
- Kimi Antonelli: 1/2
- Max Verstappen: 13/5
- Lewis Hamilton: 6/1
- Charles Leclerc: 14/1
- George Russell: 50/1
- Isack Hadjar: 70/1
- Lando Norris: 125/1
- Oscar Piastri: 125/1
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff:
11:59 , Kieran Jackson
“That was an exciting qualifying session and a fantastic lap by Kimi to take pole position. There were many challengers, including the Ferraris and the Red Bulls, but Kimi found something extra when it mattered and delivered with full commitment.
“It's been seven years since we've been on pole position here and historically, we've not been very strong in Monaco. That makes today's result even more special.
“On George's side, he has just not been as comfortable in the car this weekend. He has not felt the grip and therefore not had the confidence to push as much as you need to. That is particularly challenging in Monaco where confidence is one of the most important factors for unlocking lap time.
“We know the ability he has though and it is only a matter of time before he bounces back. He has a great group of people around him and everyone is fully behind him. We're supporting him every step of the way, and we're confident he'll come back stronger.”
Ferrari’s Deputy Team Principal Jerome D'Ambrosio:
11:30 , Kieran Jackson
“The result leaves us with mixed feelings. On the one hand, having both cars on the second row is a solid outcome in such a competitive qualifying session.
“On the other, Charles’ last lap was in the mix until he touched the wall at Tabac corner, which is encouraging. Lewis struggled with the car balance during qualifying but managed to put in a strong lap in at the end which allowed us to lock out the second row.
“Although overtaking isn’t straightforward here in Monaco, we will give our best tomorrow to maximise any opportunities.”
Oscar Piastri after qualifying 7th:
11:00 , Kieran Jackson
“This has not been an easy weekend for us at all. We came here expecting a challenge, and it has definitely been one. The fundamental issue has been a general lack of grip, and while we've made some progress since Friday and improved the balance of the car, we're still lacking the speed.
“From my side, I think we got as much out of the car as we could in Qualifying and we put together some decent laps.
“Looking ahead to the race, we have to be realistic. This circuit is notoriously difficult for overtaking, and we don't expect that to change. Our focus will be on executing a clean strategy and managing the car as best we can. Anything can happen in Monaco, so let's see what we can do.”
Alex Albon after qualifying 11th:
10:30 , Kieran Jackson
I'm happy with P11 today. We left Q3 on the table which is a little frustrating, but my final lap was entirely on the limit. I clipped the barrier in sector 3 as I was pushing flat out and I lost a little bit of time but was able to get away with it.
“As a team, we took a different approach this weekend to try and get into the rhythm early after a series of tougher race weekends and missing out on track time, so we tried to keep it simple and just chip away and build on every session.
“This was a result of all the work we've done recently, so P11 and P12 are decent starting positions for tomorrow. The strategy for the race is looking like a one-stop so having a good start will be crucial to hopefully make up some positions and get into the points."
Full starting grid in Monaco today:
10:00 , Kieran Jackson
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Lando Norris (McLaren)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
11. Alex Albon (Williams)
12. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)
14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)
17. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)
19. Ollie Bearman (Haas)
20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)
21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella after a disappointing qualifying:
09:00 , Kieran Jackson
"Today’s result is not quite what we were aiming for, as we felt a place on the third row was realistically within our reach. We started the weekend on the back foot yesterday, struggling with overall grip and car performance. However, thanks to the overnight work from our drivers, trackside engineers, and the support team back at the factory, we made significant steps forward with the setup.
"That progression was clear in Q1 and Q2, where the car appeared to be much more competitive, relatively. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite manage to put it all together in Q3. Lando was on a very strong final lap and was up by a couple of tenths, but a lock-up at the chicane meant we left some performance on the table. As a result, we will lock out the fourth row for tomorrow's race. It’s clear this specific circuit configuration doesn't entirely suit our car's characteristics, and we have work to do to improve in these conditions.”
Russell tells Antonelli F1 world championship title is ‘his to lose’
07:00 , Kieran Jackson
“I don’t think I’ve got anything to lose,” Russell said.
“I feel I’m still going with that same mindset, that if I look at it from my competitors’ view, you’re kind of in a position now that you’ve got such a buffer, it feels like you can only keep it, or you can lose it.
“And I think it’s his to lose.
“So, my mindset is to enjoy every single race, try and win every single race – the same as I’ve done this whole season – I’m going to fight the same. I’m not going to change my mentality at all, nor am I going to let this put any more pressure onto me.”
F1 extends deal with Las Vegas to 2037
05:00 , Kieran Jackson
Stefano Domenicali, the F1 president and chief executive officer, said: "We are thrilled that Formula 1 will continue racing in Las Vegas for many years to come.
"We always believed that Las Vegas would become a cornerstone of our presence in the United States, and this extension, together with the success of recent years, reinforces our long-term commitment to this important market."
Full Monaco GP qualifying results:
02:00 , Kieran Jackson
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - 1:12:051
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:12:094
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - 1:12:279
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:12:251
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) - 1:12:434
6. George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:12:445
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 1:12:624
8. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1:12:765
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - 1:13:226
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) - 1:13:412
11. Alex Albon (Williams) - 1:13:787
12. Carlos Sainz (Williams) -1:13:815
13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) - 1:13:902
14. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) - 1:13:995
15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) - 1:14:248
16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) - 1:14:683
17. Esteban Ocon (Haas) - 1:14:722
18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac) - 1:14:747
19. Ollie Bearman (Haas) - 1:14:814
20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) - 1:15:283
21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:15:349
22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - 1:16:061
VIDEO: Reaction to Antonelli's pole
Saturday 6 June 2026 23:59 , Kieran Jackson
Feel the rush of Monaco pole position! 👏
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 6, 2026
"WHAT A LAP" 🙌#F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/5PBpv5UXGO
Lewis Hamilton after qualifying P3:
Saturday 6 June 2026 22:00 , Kieran Jackson
“The most incredible circuit to drive - privilege to do it in a Ferrari.
“We were looking really strong all weekend, we didn’t make any changes overnight, we lost performance in FP3. Mercedes took a step. Our qualifying session wasn’t smooth-sailing, I was really far off in Q1, Q2 - had to make big changes.
“We took performance off the car, took a lot of wing out - on one part I’m still OK with P3 but I wanted P1.”
“How can we get the best start off the line?”
VIDEO: Hamilton congratulates Antonelli
Saturday 6 June 2026 20:00 , Kieran Jackson
Monaco pole position calls for a round of applause from Kimi! 👏✨#F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/nVyMY1bvPj
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 6, 2026
QUALIFYING REPORT: Kimi Antonelli claims stunning Monaco GP pole ahead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton
Saturday 6 June 2026 19:00 , Kieran Jackson
George Russell’s world championship bid suffered another setback as Kimi Antonelli stormed to pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Antonelli, who has won the last four races, danced his way around Formula One’s famed streets in the principality to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to top spot by just 0.043 seconds.
Russell will start a distant sixth – 0.394 sec slower than his Mercedes team-mate – with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc third and fourth respectively for Ferrari.
Verstappen’s team-mate Isack Hadjar lines up from fifth with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris set to start McLaren’s 1,000th race from seventh and eighth.
Full report below:
Antonelli claims stunning Monaco GP pole ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton
Toto Wolff on Russell's performance:
Saturday 6 June 2026 17:45 , Kieran Jackson
“George is very robust and resilient; a few races went against him. I don’t think it’s the psychological side, he never had the confidence in the car. Once you start to run behind the performance and lose confidence, it’s super difficult to catch up again.
“He didn’t have any grip, Monaco no grip - you have no chance.”
George Russell after finishing sixth in qualifying:
Saturday 6 June 2026 17:22 , Kieran Jackson
“No, if I knew I’d be able to not be in that position. Start of the year was easy, last three races it’s just been nowhere. Even Canada was a real fight, but then I nailed it. That was pulling something special out of the hat. That’s where I am right now. Don’t really know.
“There’s definitely some things we’ve seen, with my natural driving style, doesn’t suit it as last year did.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail. Last year suited me just fine, this year suits him very well. It still doesn’t answer why the start of the year was such a breeze.
“I don’t know, bit bamboozled right now.”
Antonelli's engineer, Peter Bonnington:
Saturday 6 June 2026 17:08 , Kieran Jackson
“I didn’t think it was on, looking at the time delta, but in those last couple of corners - it came good.
“We try and not focus on the goal, we focus on the process. Not stressing too much, enjoy the journey, focus on climbing each mountain at a time.
“He’s pretty good, a joy to work with. He does continually surprise us.
“When we had him in the TPC cars, it was evident he had talent straight away. It took Kimi about four laps to match the high speed, then you know he has some raw talent. He was a diamond in the rough, he just needed a bit of polishing - second year is always best.”
What time is the Monaco GP?
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:58 , Kieran Jackson
The race around the streets of Monte Carlo will start at 2pm BST.
Can Antonelli claim his fifth win in a row?
Lewis Hamilton, after finishing third in qualifying:
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:54 , Kieran Jackson
Congrats to Kimi, mega job, getting your first pole here is special. We were looking so strong in practice, barely changed anything but car was drastically different. I was as close to the barriers as I could be - what a privilege to be here, I absolutely loved it.
“It’s very close, jeez I thought we maybe nearly had it. It’s great to see how close all the cars are, I think we lost something going into today and that’s what we need to figure out - but we’re obviously there in the fight.
“I’m really keen to see what updates we bring in the future.”
Max Verstappen after claiming P2:
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:43 , Kieran Jackson
“If you told me yesterday to be on the front row, I would have defintiely taken it. Extremely positive, very happy to be on the front row, let’s see at the start - I have two cars behind me which start quite well, this was a good day.
“Once you get a clean lap out of it, it’s very rewarding when it goes well.”
Antonelli on pole
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:35 , Kieran Jackson
Kimi Antonelli after claiming pole:
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:24 , Kieran Jackson
“One of those laps we call the magic lap, was able to put it together, it was such a close qualifying with Max. I knew the last lap was good, just hoping it was enough. Very happy with that.
“This is one of the most intense if not the most intense qualifying of the year, it takes a massive effort. When it’s about finding the last two-tenths, the walls come closer. I have to be honest, I felt great this morning.
“That was a big step compared to last year, looking forward to tomorrow.”
Top-10 in Monaco qualifying
Saturday 6 June 2026 16:15 , Kieran Jackson
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
6. George Russell (Mercedes)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Lando Norris (McLaren)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
