Lando Norris Wins At Monaco As New Pit Stop Rule Makes Things Interesting (Kind Of)

For the last time for the foreseeable future, we’ve got the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500, and Coca-Cola 600 taking place on the same day. Monaco gets bumped back to June starting next year, 

It’s a picturesque setting for a race, but big, heavy cars and a narrow twisty track usually make this one of the most boring races of the year.

The big story in this year's race was that for the first time, they had to make two mandatory pit stops as opposed to the standard one that is mandated at any race run under dry conditions.

The idea was that a second mandated stop created a new challenge for teams to deal with regarding when to make those stops, but it also increased the chance of a team having trouble in the pits and losing track position that way.

Really, it was a Hail Mary from Formula 1 and the FIA to make the final Monaco Grand Prix anything but the snooze-inducing parade it has a habit of becoming before the new 2026 regulations come in and hopefully make the cars more raceable.

Did it work?

Eh… Kind of?

McLaren’s Lando Norris started on pole with hometown (principality?) hero Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc next to him on the front row.

Behind Norris was his teammate and championship leader, Oscar Piastri, and next to him was Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Leclerc got a great start and was nearly alongside Norris when the McLaren locked up heavily into the first corner, Sainte Devote, but managed to continue on without tissue.

McLaren's Lando Norris overcame a great start from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and a big lock up into the first corner. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)

The same can't be said for Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, who crashed at Portier on the opening lap. This caused a virtual safety car and allowed some cars to pit early, but that strategy didn't exactly work out for them as they all ended up getting stuck in traffic eventually.

The strategy game was interesting, with some teams pitting early, some waiting until practically the end of the race, while Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar pitted, did a short stint on softs, and then pitted again to get to the end of the race. That worked out fairly well as it secured him a solid P6 finish ahead of his teammate Liam Lawson in P8.

Up at the sharp end of the field, McLaren and Norris were in control of the race virtually from start to finish. He didn't lead every lap, but that was largely because Verstappen waited to pit late in hopes of a large safety car or red flag that would've afforded him a cheap second stop.

Hometown hero Leclerc pursued Norris late, but it's so painfully difficult to overtake at Monaco, and it was the McLaren driver who took the checkered flag.

Race winner Lando Norris (4) of Great Britain and McLaren celebrates in parc ferme after the Monaco Grand Prix. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The new pit stop rule kept things interesting, but it didn't solve Monaco's biggest problem, and that's the lack of on-track overtakes. I don't remember a single legal one (Mercedes' George Russell pulled one off by completely cutting a chicane and just dealing with the penalty).

All in all, it was a better race, but still not the thriller we all want. Hopefully, next year's smaller, lighter cars can make Formula 1's crown jewel a better race.

Norris' win and Piastri's P3 finish means that the latter's championship lead has been cut to just three points (161-158) as the series moves on to Barcelona next weekend.