Andrea Kimi Antonelli wins chaotic Monaco Grand Prix, extends championship lead

Andrea Kimi Antonelli won a chaotic Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco on Sunday, giving Mercedes its latest victory in one of the sport’s marquee races and extending his lead in the drivers’ championship. Formula1.com said Antonelli dominated at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo for his fifth win of the 2026 season, while Mercedes teammate George Russell failed to score.

Lewis Hamilton finished second, and Isack Hadjar took third after post-race penalties reshaped the podium. Pierre Gasly had crossed ahead of Hadjar on the road, but Formula1.com reported that Gasly received two separate five-second penalties, dropping him behind the RB driver in the final classification.

The race was heavily disrupted. Seven drivers retired: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas, Ollie Bearman, Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Verstappen’s race ended almost immediately with what Formula1.com described as an anti-stall and power problem at the start, while Reuters reported it as a power unit issue. “The formation lap wasn't going very well, after that the pre-start was terrible, there was no consistency and then the engine just dropped dead,” Verstappen said, according to Reuters. “I only got a little bit of power back after the first corner. Engine sounded really awful, couldn't go full throttle so we brought it back.”

With about 20 laps remaining, Stroll crashed at the final corner and brought out the Safety Car, bunching the field. On the restart, Leclerc then crashed at the same corner, and the race was red-flagged so officials could inspect track break-up there, according to Formula1.com.

The result had immediate championship significance. Formula1.com’s updated standings show Antonelli on 131 points, with Russell second on 88, giving the Italian a 43-point advantage after Monaco. Russell’s scoreless weekend made Antonelli’s victory even more valuable in the title race, even at this relatively early stage of the season.

Antonelli, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver born Aug. 25, 2006, has now won five times in 2026. His Monaco triumph followed earlier victories in China, Japan, Miami and Canada, further underlining how quickly he has become the driver to beat this season.

There was also a landmark result further down the order, with Formula1.com reporting that Cadillac scored its first Formula 1 points through Sergio Pérez.