Breaking F1 News: Stunning Last-Lap Overtake Crowns Unexpected Grand Prix Winner—Watch the Highlights

Monte CARLO – A picture-perfect Côte d’Azur morning greeted the 20 drivers as the lights went out for the 2025 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, and pole-sitter Lando Norris converted his record-breaking qualifying lap into an early lead over Max Verstappen and rookie Isack Hadjar. Start drama and first stint • Norris covered the inside line at Sainte Dévote, escaping the typical Monaco bottleneck while Verstappen slotted in behind. • Further back, Lewis Hamilton—relegated to seventh on the grid after a three-place gearbox penalty—was forced to defend aggressively from Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc. • Lap-nine contact between Lance Stroll and Oliver Bearman at Portier triggered a brief Virtual Safety Car, but both continued after front-wing changes. Pit-stop chess in the principality With on-track passes nearly impossible, strategy became the only weapon: • Verstappen’s Red Bull blinked first, ditching medium tyres on lap 31 to undercut Norris. McLaren responded two tours later, releasing the Briton back into clear air just a car-length ahead. • Mercedes tried an offset strategy, leaving Hamilton out until lap 44; fresh soft tyres allowed him to jump Alonso for sixth but not the train headed by Oscar Piastri in fourth. • Alpine risked a one-stop for Hadjar that is keeping the French rookie in podium contention as the final third of the race begins. Key storylines to watch live 1. Safety-car roulette: A single yellow could hand Verstappen a free stop or gift Hadjar track position—Monaco races are often decided by timing, not overtakes. 2. Championship swing: If results hold, Norris will slash Verstappen’s points lead to just eight heading to Canada, transforming the title narrative entering the summer triple-header. 3. Rookie spotlight: Hadjar is on course for his first F1 podium and Alpine’s first top-three since Hungary 2023; keeping tyres alive around the harbour streets will be critical. Updated top-10 running order (Lap 56/78) 1. Norris (McLaren) 2. Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.2 s 3. Hadjar (Alpine) +6.4 s 4. Piastri (McLaren) 5. Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) 6. Hamilton (Mercedes) 7. Alonso (Aston Martin) 8. George Russell (Mercedes) 9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 10. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) How to follow the closing laps Fans can stream live via F1 TV Pro or tune into ABC/ESPN in the United States, Sky Sports F1 in the U.K., and Canal+ in France; a full Monaco GP replay and on-board highlights will be available shortly after the chequered flag on the official Formula 1 website. Beyond Monte Carlo Teams pack up tonight for the long haul to Montréal, where the low-downforce Circuit Gilles Villeneuve presents a stark contrast to Monaco’s slow-speed glamour. Expect updated power-unit components and upgraded rear-wing packages as the 2025 F1 title fight—now visibly swinging toward a resurgent McLaren—heads into its most intense phase yet.