All the key Monaco moments as Norris realises a dream, Racing Bulls shine and famous faces enjoy the show

With a backdrop unlike any other, McLaren's Lando Norris claimed his first Monaco Grand Prix win – fulfilling one of his dreams in the process – and delivered a Qualifying pole lap that was simply stunning. But that wasn't everything to report back on from Monte Carlo as we round up all the highlights in our Monaco lowdown ...

Norris made a huge statement when the 2025 season got under way in Australia, charging to pole position before mastering the tricky, mixed weather conditions and resisting pressure from Max Verstappen on race day.

It has not been such a smooth ride since then, though, with the Briton struggling to consistently get the most out of McLaren’s new package, making some high-profile mistakes in Qualifying and being out-performed by less experienced teammate Oscar Piastri.

With Piastri beginning to stretch out a championship lead thanks to four wins in seven races, the Monte Carlo weekend was a crucial one for Norris, who has spoken openly in recent years about struggling to be at his best on and off the track.

At a circuit where drivers can make the difference, Norris delivered one of the finest Qualifying laps of his career – the only person inside the 1m 09s bracket – to grab a first pole since that Melbourne opener and hit back at a growing number of critics.

Then, in a gripping Grand Prix, he dealt with Virtual Safety Cars, phases of traffic and the two pit stop rule to convert that pole into victory, underlining his weekend dominance and slashing Piastri’s championship advantage.

With Piastri, Norris and Verstappen covered by just 25 points in the Drivers’ Championship standings, it’s very much game on heading to Spain …

F1 and tyre suppliers Pirelli tried something new in Monaco, with the aforementioned two pit stop rule being introduced in a bid to add some excitement to a race that takes place on tight, twisty streets and thus offers few overtaking opportunities.

Under F1’s usual rules, the only tyre-related requirement during a dry-weather race is for drivers to use at least two different slick compounds, which can be achieved via a one-stop strategy but Sunday’s race forced drivers to use at least three different sets of tyres.

The rule had an impact from the start, with the hard, medium and soft compounds all being selected throughout the 20-strong field – some drivers following a more conventional approach and others gambling on something completely different.

Verstappen made the battle at the front more intriguing by going longer than Norris, Piastri and Charles Leclerc and leading until the penultimate lap, when he finally completed his mandated second stop, while Racing Bulls and Williams made the most of their cars running close together to back up the chasing pack and ensure double points finishes.

It remains to be seen if the rule will return in the future but there’s no doubt that strategists and drivers had more to think about on Sunday.

Racing Bulls enjoyed its best weekend of the season as both Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson scored points during the Monaco Grand Prix.

The team "perfectly executed" its race strategy, according to Formula 1 rookie Hadjar, who took a best finish of sixth after Lawson backed up the chasing pack to ensure his team mate lost minimal positions during the mandated two pit stops.

Lawson himself secured his first points of the season in eighth, as Racing Bulls moved up to seventh in the Constructors' Championship ahead of Aston Martin.

Esteban Ocon also benefited from Lawson's strategic driving, the Haas driver finishing ahead of the Kiwi in seventh for his third points finish of the season.

Mercedes endured a weekend to forget in Monte Carlo as neither George Russell or Kimi Antonelli finished in the points after starting down the field.

F1 rookie Antonelli brought out the red flags at the end of Q1 having crashed at the Nouvelle Chicane, while Russell caused another stoppage at the start of Q2 as his Mercedes ground to a halt in the tunnel.

It left the pair 15th and 14th on the grid, with the duo's race effectively ruined by the slow, strategic driving of Williams duo Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon.

Russell finished 11th having been given a drive-through penalty for cutting the Nouvelle Chicane to pass Albon, while Antonelli finished 18th and last of the classified runners.

Saturdays in Monaco are something special. Watching 20 cars go flat out around the tight and twisty track, knowing that grid slots are of utmost importance, is truly a sight to behold.

That proved to be the case again as, once again, there were thrills and spills galore. The aforementioned Antonelli and Russell brought out their respective red flags but away from the disasters, there were also some scintillating laps.

Norris grabbed provisional pole at the start of Q3, ahead of home hero Leclerc and his teammate Piastri. But then Leclerc came out for his second run and beat the McLarens. The crowd were going wild, as they watching the Monegasque driver weave his way around the streets he knows so well.

But McLaren pulled off a strategic masterclass, managing two push laps on their last set of tyres. And with the C6 rubber starting to lose grip, Norris extracted everything he had, cut every corner and kissed every barrier to steal pole from his rival with the first sub 70-second lap of the Principality.

It was a glorious run, a well deserved pole and set the Brit up for a tilt at victory on the Sunday.

This race attracts celebrities from the world over, some cramming onto the grid come Sunday, others choosing to lounge around on their yachts. All were treated to the sight of F1 cars in action under gloriously blue and sunny skies, which is always a spectacle here.

Naomi Campbell is a big F1 fan and often graces this grid, as does actor and fellow motorsport enthusiast Patrick Dempsey – who had the honour of waving the chequered flag on Sunday.

Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra was wandering around taking in the sights and sounds of Monte Carlo, as was fellow footballer Zinedine Zidane and comedian Michael McIntyre. The drivers meanwhile seemed just as pleased to meet the Monaco Club mascot Vrooom, who was in attendance all weekend.

But apart from the drivers, the stars of the show arrived on Sunday – Price Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, ready to receive the race winner. This is a victory that matters hugely to all of the grid but the honour of being greeted by the royals went to Norris this year.