Antonelli seals fifth straight F1 win at Monaco as late chaos hands Hamilton no route through

Kimi Antonelli claimed his fifth successive Formula 1 victory at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, leading every lap from pole position and holding off Lewis Hamilton through a dramatic red-flag finish to extend his championship lead significantly, with title rival George Russell failing to score points.

What had been a processional race was shattered in its final quarter when Lance Stroll hit the wall at Antony Noghes on lap 60, bringing out the safety car. A flurry of pit stops followed ahead of the lap 66 restart, but Charles Leclerc then crashed at the same corner, triggering the safety car’s return and, shortly after, the red flag.

The FIA identified a recently resurfaced section of track at the entry to the final corner as the likely cause, with broken-up asphalt scattered across the racing line. Neither driver accepted that explanation: Stroll pointed to an engine braking issue, while Leclerc blamed his brakes.

After a 40-minute stoppage and track inspection, the race resumed with a standing start and eight laps remaining, Antonelli lining up alongside Hamilton on the front row. Despite Ferrari’s renowned getaway speed, the 18-year-old Mercedes driver kept his composure and covered Hamilton into the first corner — a move that effectively settled the outcome.

Antonelli’s dominance had been evident from the opening lap. Max Verstappen, who had shared the front row, suffered a Red Bull that spluttered off the line, forcing the cars behind to take evasive action and dropping the Dutchman behind both Ferraris. Hamilton slotted into second, Leclerc third, but Antonelli was already gone.

By the end of lap 10, the Italian held a five-second lead. That gap compressed briefly to under three seconds as Antonelli navigated lapped traffic, but once clear he began pulling away at more than a second per lap. After pitting at roughly half-distance — a few laps after both Ferraris had stopped — Antonelli rejoined with 17.3 seconds in hand over Hamilton and never looked threatened.

The result cements Antonelli’s position at the top of the drivers’ championship with a commanding advantage, the Monaco win his most composed yet across a five-race winning streak that is rapidly reshaping the 2025 title picture.