Lando Norris held off Charles Leclerc to win an unusual Monaco Grand Prix that was dictated by new pit stop requirements.

Pole-sitter Norris controlled the race and overcame the jeopardy of two mandatory tyre changes to win for the first time since the season-opener in Australia and cut his deficit to championship leader Oscar Piastri to three points.

Piastri took a seventh consecutive podium from fourth-placed Max Verstappen, who actually led the most laps and was leading until the penultimate lap when he took his final pit stop.

Norris came under serious pressure from Leclerc in the closing stages as Verstappen backed the McLaren driver up. However, Leclerc was unable to go for a move and settled for the runners-up spot on home soil.

Lewis Hamilton finished a lonely fifth after gaining two spots from his starting position of seventh through the early pit stop phase.

Rookie Isack Hadjar scored his career-best F1 result in sixth with Racing Bulls nailing the strategy by using Liam Lawson to hold the field up, to create a pit stop gap for Hadjar.

Lawson was also rewarded with his first points of 2025 in eighth behind Haas’ Esteban Ocon.

Williams duo Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz also worked together strategically to finish ninth and 10th respectively.

George Russell finished in 11th after a drive-through penalty for cutting the corner, almost in frustration when stuck behind the Williams drivers.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was set to score points until an engine issue forced him to retire and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly crashed into the back of Yuki Tsunoda early on.

More to follow…

F1’s European triple header concludes with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, with live coverage starting from Friday on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime