Kimi Antonelli wins chaotic Monaco Grand Prix for fifth straight victory, Hamilton second
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver held his nerve through a late red flag and standing restart to beat Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari, extending his championship lead to 66 points.
Antonelli's command performance
Kimi Antonelli converted pole position into a dominant victory at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, his fifth consecutive win of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The 19-year-old Italian led from start to finish in his Mercedes, becoming the youngest ever winner of the iconic street race. His lead, which had grown to over five seconds before a late safety car, was erased by a red flag with 12 laps remaining after the track surface began to break up at the final corner.
It's been an incredible weekend and an incredible race. We had incredible pace and it all came so natural and that gave me the confidence to push.
After a delay of around 40 minutes for barrier repairs, the race resumed with a standing start. Antonelli admitted he was reluctant to restart but refocused, held his position into the first corner, and pulled away to win by 6.271 seconds.
Hamilton and Ferrari on the rise
Lewis Hamilton secured second place for Ferrari, his second consecutive runner-up finish. The seven-time champion equalled Ayrton Senna's record of eight Monaco podiums and moved into second place in the drivers' standings, 66 points behind Antonelli. Hamilton acknowledged the gap to Mercedes, noting his car needs more aerodynamic downforce and that the team had encountered temperature issues during the race.
Devo iniziare congratulandomi con Kimi e il team Mercedes, hanno fatto un lavoro incredibile. Noi stiamo progredendo, ma ancora non riusciamo a tenere il passo della Mercedes.
Isack Hadjar took third for Red Bull, though he was among several drivers under investigation for infringements after the race.
A race of attrition
The race was punctuated by incidents from the opening lap. Max Verstappen's Red Bull suffered an engine failure at the start and retired immediately. Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari at Turn 19 with 12 laps remaining, triggering the red flag. Leclerc reported a brake failure, saying he had no rear brakes and could do nothing to avoid the wall. World champion Lando Norris retired his McLaren earlier with battery problems. George Russell, Antonelli's teammate, endured a difficult afternoon with two penalties and finished 13th, falling 68 points behind in the championship.
E' stato come non avere i freni, non potevo farci niente, è tutto molto frustrante.
Historic milestones
Antonelli's fifth straight win makes him the first Italian to achieve that feat since Alberto Ascari in 1952. He is also the first Italian to win the Monaco Grand Prix since Jarno Trulli in 2004, 22 years ago. The victory extends his championship lead and cements his status as the dominant force of the 2026 season. Other notable results included Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad finishing fifth and sixth, career-best results for both, while Sergio Perez scored the new Cadillac team's first point with a 10th-place finish.
- Race start: Verstappen suffers engine failure and retires on the grid.
- Lap 10: Antonelli builds a 5.4-second lead in clear air.
- Lap 46: Norris retires with a McLaren battery problem.
- Lap 60: Stroll crashes at Antony Noghes, prompting a safety car.
- Lap 66: Leclerc crashes at Turn 19; red flag for barrier repairs and track surface.
- Standing restart with 10 laps remaining; Antonelli holds lead into Turn 1.
- Antonelli wins by 6.271 seconds ahead of Hamilton and Hadjar.
Royal presence
Prince Albert II attended the race with his son, 11-year-old heir Jacques, who joined his father for the traditional tour d'honneur of the circuit in a Lafitte LM1. Princess Charlène presented Hamilton with his second-place trophy, while Prince Albert awarded Antonelli the winner's trophy. The Monegasque royal family followed the race from the tribune of honour, with the principality having recently confirmed the Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until at least 2031.
