F1 Monaco Grand Prix live updates - media day

Monaco preview: top stories

Images from the day at Monaco

Before we say goodbye, we thought we'd share a few of our favourite snaps from the paddock in Monaco.

Out with the old, in with the Newey: Andy Cowell gives Adrian Newey reason to grin - perhaps he's asked him if he'll take a look at the AMR25?

Photo by: Aston Martin Racing

And on the seventh day, the lord said: "this harbour is full of water!". Turns out it's water.

Photo by: Christophe Simon / AFP via Getty Images

Don't break the mirror, Fernando - or that's another seven years' worth of bad luck

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Who's that Pokemon? It's...

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Piastri "hasn't changed much" in 2025, but has more consistency

Reviewing his start to 2025 so far, championship leader Oscar Piastri believes that his overall racecraft has remained relatively static - but it's in finding the extra smidgen in qualifying and more consistency in races that has helped him to the top of the points.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images

Piastri on his growth as a driver: "I think for me it's just been consistency more than anything. I think the racecraft I don't think has really changed much. I've been racing for wins instead of fourth and fifth. 

"And maturity I think has probably taken a step. Just in adapting my mindset a little bit on certain things. Pushing a little bit more to get those last few hundredths. 

"Because I felt like there was a lot of times last year, especially in qualifying, I was just on the wrong side of that few hundredths. And now I'm starting to be on the right side of it a bit more, which is nice. Just always trying to find that next step to improve."

Norris: Not doing a bad job - although not-perfect job might be seen as poor effort

Lando Norris spoke on his lack of consistent qualifying form so far this year, although the close margins involved have tended to mean that the Briton has just been fragments of a second shy of pole.

The McLaren driver believes he's not done terribly in qualifying this year, but the strength of the drivers around him means that "not a bad job" isn't quite good enough.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images

"I'm confident I have the speed, but you know, it's true that this year I've not been able to put things together as well as what I have done in the past for many, many years.

"It's something I've been very at one with and very, I wouldn't always say confident, but something I've always just been very, very strong in. And I've just not done well enough this season. 

"So it's not like I'm doing a bad job, but when you're against the best in the world, not doing a perfect job is also the definition of probably doing a bad job."

Hamilton pleased F1 trying 'something different' with Monaco two-stop rule

Lewis Hamilton, fresh from the nerves of showing off F1's new cinematic splash to the other drivers, now has his mind back on Monaco - his first visit to the famed street race with Ferrari.

He's had a couple of positive thoughts on the two-stop plan in Monaco; while conceding that it's pretty much entirely spectacle driven, he's pleased to F1's governance try something different.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

"Well, it's for the show. I mean, firstly, we've got softer tyres. I think it's good to try something different. 

If you keep doing the same thing over and over and over, you're going to get the same result. So I think it's cool that they're trying something different. 

"Whether or not it's the answer, we'll find out this weekend. 
It's definitely going to be different to what we've had in the last year. Whether that's better or not, I have no idea, I can't predict. But I like that we have something different."

Tsunoda wouldn't have had Imola crash at Racing Bulls

Yuki Tsunoda reflected on his Imola weekend, in which he salvaged a point after crashing out in Q1. 

The Japanese driver had a colossal barrel-roll crash, which he put down to inexperience with his Red Bull RB21 and continues to be surprised by the set-up swings in the car.

Yuki goes double-denim, because apparently that's allowed now

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

"To be honest, it wouldn't happen like that if I understood he car, to be honest. The VCARB, that kind of crash I wouldn't have it by myself. I was pushing too much. I think since 2022, I don't think I've had that. It's just lacking understanding of how the car is going to behave with each set-up. 

"The set-up I tried was completely new. I guess the Red Bull car changes more than I expected. The VCARB car, even if we changed it, I don't think it would have that much of a difference."

Russell hopes to use Mercedes quali pace in Monaco - but accepts two-stops changes dynamic

George Russell feels that Mercedes should be able to capitalise on Monaco's tendency to reward qualifying pace - but has also noted that the mandatory two-stopper will put the onus on the team to consider its own race pace.

Mercedes has shown up well on one-lap performance over the 2025 season so far, but race pace has been hit-or-miss depending on track conditions.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images

Russell on Monaco: "I think we are excited for this weekend because we know qualifying has been a strength, and we've been one tenth off pole on so many occasions but yet to convert it.

"But this two-stop strategy, it will be interesting to see how it pans out because in the past, it was solely about qualifying. And you could manage the gaps to the car behind, and you could have backed everybody up. 

"I don't think that's going to be the case this weekend. So, race pace isn't meaningless. I know that hasn't been a strength."

F2 & F3 practice hits Monaco streets

With the compressed weekend schedule, Formula 2 and Formula 3 tends to run its practice sessions a day early - with qualifying on Friday, and races on Saturday and early on Sunday.

Here's a few early track shots of the junior series from practice:

F2 / Leonardo Fornaroli, Invicta Racing

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

F2 / Alex Dunne, Rodin Motorsport

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

F3 / Tim Tramnitz, MP Motorsport

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

F3 / Charlie Wurz, Trident

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Albon: "Careful optimism" over Williams' Monaco form

Earlier in the day, Carlos Sainz stated that Williams should be handy at Monaco and continue its form from Miami and Imola. The British squad achieved two double points finishes in those two races, helping it up to fifth in the constructors' championship.

Albon admitted that he was optimistic about the potential form at Monaco, but added that he was cautious to expect too much from the weekend.

Alex Albon, Williams

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"It's interesting because the last couple of tracks, we knew Miami would suit us. I don't believe we expected Imola to suit us. 

"We've definitely made setup changes along the way. But not to the point where we were going to be kind of the speed that we were at. So in many ways, it kind of makes you think 'maybe we come here and we're going to be just as quick'.

"You're kind of treading on the line of careful optimism, where I think, yes, there's no reason why we shouldn't be quick here. But at the same time, were we just good in the last two races? I don't know."

F1's fiercest rivalries - with Karun Chandhok

From the personal insults of Nigel Mansell vs Nelson Piquet, the short but fiery feud between Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, to a friendship turned sour between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, they’re all featured here.

But what pair takes the Number 1 spot? Autosport Editor-In-Chief Kevin Turner sits down with former driver and Sky Sports F1 broadcaster Karun Chandhok to debate who they think are the Top 10 greatest rivalries in the sport’s 75-year history.

Watch: F1's Fiercest Rivalries with Karun Chandhok

Bortoleto: Verstappen changes sim settings when I beat him

Gabriel Bortoleto and Max Verstappen have proven to be firm friends over the past few years, although the Brazilian has accused the four-time champion of changing the settings whenever they race against each other on their simulators to win.

"When we drive together, I start beating him and then he goes there and he changed the whole setup of the car to make it difficult. Then I spend a couple of hours trying to beat his lap time, and then he goes around telling everyone 'I beat Gabi and he's taking two hours to beat me again'. But I mean, it's good - I like the competition."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Verstappen didn't deny this, but added a more serious note of willing to be "an open book" for Bortoleto to help the Sauber rookie thrive in F1.

"Wherever I can say something or advise or whatever, I think I'm quite an open book so I do that, besides the healthy rivalry that we have when we are on the simulator preparing for like a weekend.

"I think it's good because you have battles, you're hot lapping at the same time trying to beat each other, I think it's fun as well."

Leclerc hoping to "discover something new" about Ferrari in Monaco

After Imola, Charles Leclerc stated that a podium finish in Monaco was unrealistic given the team's qualifying performance of late, but he's hoping that the Prancing Horse will tap into the form it showed in Monte Carlo last year.

Leclerc took pole over Oscar Piastri, and held the lead throughout the race to secure an emotional home victory.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Leclerc on Monaco hopes: "We don't really know yet what to expect, but it is true that there's only low-speed here.

"Obviously, we'll try and focus and put the car in the best place possible for low-speed corners, which normally on most of other tracks, you just try and find a compromise between the high-speed content and the low-speed content. 

"But here, it's all about the low speed. And I hope that we'll discover something new about our car that we haven't seen yet since the beginning of the season."

F1 drivers and football: can they do it on a rainy Tuesday night in Stoke?

The drivers had their customary football game at the Stade Louis II before the weekend, where Isack Hadjar recapped his first experience on playing on a full-size stadium for the first time.

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

"My muscles are not suited to it, the changes in the direction - I thought I was going to get injured," Hadjar said.

Pierre Gasly, part owner of FC Versailles, was asked if Hadjar would be on his wish-list for the team - and the answer was somewhat decisive.

"No," Gasly said, swiftly. "Maybe in management! I like his mentality."

Stroll hopes for "pretty technical" Newey chats in Monaco

Aston Martin has a special guest for the Monaco GP in Adrian Newey, as the team's technical managing partner aims to take a look at how the team operates.

Lance Stroll's enthusiasm was palpable, which admittedly is a rarity given his usual placid demeanour in media outings, and said that he wanted a chance to catch up with the revered British designer over the weekend.

Adrian Newey, Aston Martin

Photo by: Aston Martin

"I think it's great. He's going to get to see what's going on at the track for the first time, which is great for everybody, for him, for the whole team. Just spend some time with him, have little chats, little coffees and stuff. Talk about the future, where we want to be to be going, what we think about the car, next year's regulations, all those little things.

"I'm sure it's going to be pretty technical. I mean, we just got back to Europe, right? So, yeah, just little bump-ins in the factory. But I only went back a couple of times because we've just been in Asia and Australia and all that.

"But I guess now with the European season and factory days more often, simulator sessions, it'll be more of a chance to catch up here and there."

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Colapinto needs to 'build up' around Monaco to find speed at a "high-confidence track"

In preparing for his second F1 race with Alpine, Franco Colapinto has the challenge of shaking off a bruising Imola encounter with the notoriously punishing Monaco weekend. 

The Argentine has raced in the Principality in both F3 and F2, but his limited experience with Alpine's A525 lays on a bit more of a challenge.

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

"I think Monaco, Baku, and Singapore are very high confidence tracks and you need to pick up the confidence during laps or in the sessions.

"It's not very straightforward, even less for me that I'm still lacking a bit of that confidence with the car - that is normal after only during one race weekend. There's still a lot of pace and a lot of confidence still [to come] with the car. 

"Here when you are brushing the walls in every corner, you need that, and I think it's going to come after FP1 a bit more, after FP2 even more, and just keep building up."

Early-stop Monaco "recovery" strategies? Ocon already tried it at Imola

Esteban Ocon's race at Imola was largely defined by his early exit from the race, which resulted in a virtual safety car. When the idea of using one of the two mandatory pitstops in the first few laps was put to the Frenchman, he suggested that this was not so outlandish - given he'd done that a week ago.

Ocon had stopped at the end of the first lap of the Emilia Romagna race to take the hard tyre, but his race came to an end with a powertrain issue - prompting the arrival of the VSC.

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images

Ocon: "It's basically what we've tried in Imola. Our race came to an end quite quickly. But yeah, I think there's going to be much more scenarios [like that]  than usual, for sure. 

"And probably recovery strategies. You never want to be on these ones as a driver because, you know, it's to recover something that you are not getting. And a part of it is luck. 

"So we'll try and focus on qualifying as best we can. If we're on the good side of things and starting where things matter, then it's more the conventional strategy.

"Then you try and get as much as you can from that.  And that's the ideal weekend scenario that you always want."

Bearman has Monaco experience, but "let's call it a new track"

Haas' Ollie Bearman explained why he is still considering Monaco as a new circuit to him, despite having experience of the street track from his time in Formula 2.

Bearman believes that the ever-changing surface makes it dynamic from season to season, and that he'll have to learn its demands in F1 from scratch.

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images

Bearman on Monaco: "You need to find the balance, of course. For me, they resurface the track every year, the lines change, the painted lines, bumps change and stuff. So what I learned from last year, even though I'd already learned the track, it was a very different track between the two years. 

"So I'm coming back now, let's call it a new track and a new category. I'm really going to be starting from zero and building myself up. The important one is going to be the lap at the end of Q1, and hopefully the lap in Q2. 

"That's what I need to build up towards, and that means managing my risk versus the experience level that I have at that point, and of course F1 is the time to build it up step by step."

2025 Monaco GP gallery

Want the best images from the Monaco paddock and harbour, like this rather fetching shot below? Click here to access our gallery from today!

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Sainz expects Williams to be competitive at Monaco

After another double-points finish for Williams at last weekend's Imola round, Carlos Sainz believes that the British squad can continue its current impressive form. 

Alex Albon took consecutive fifth-place finishes at Miami and Imola, and the Spaniard is now hoping for his own breakthrough result at the Monte Carlo circuit.

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Lars Baron / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Sainz: "I think we are coming off the back of two strong races, where I think it's a combination of setup development that we've done for the first five-six races, and me starting to understand what the car likes and where do we need to focus on getting more performance to the car if anything we set up.

"I think it's working because we are getting always closer to pole position, and making strong laps like in Q2 in Imola.

"There's still track characteristics that suit and don't suit our car; hopefully Monaco is three in a row where we are as competitive as these last two. But, only tomorrow I will be able to understand that."

Hulkenberg: "Quite a few scenarios" with mandatory Monaco two-stop

Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg says that teams must have a variety of strategies ready for "quite a few scenarios" at the Monaco GP, as the mandated two-stop strategy might open the door to a handful of experiments through the race.

Suggestions are that some of the teams lower down the order might be persuaded to gamble with a lap 1 stop, and make the most of running in free air.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Photo by: Jayce Illman / Getty Images

Hulkenberg: "Look, I think there's quite a few obvious scenarios and pointers. I think not one team will have them exclusively. But like I said, it depends where you start. 

"It depends where you are after lap one. You can go through all the scenarios now, but it really depends. And then, again, if something happens later in the race, that puts things on its head again, potentially. So we'll see.

"It's definitely possible [to see more split strategies] and teams always want to cover as many bases as possible. So, potentially, yes."

McLaren's special Monaco livery

McLaren has dolled up its MCL39 with a new livery for the Monaco weekend, with a new orange scheme that it says is a throwback to the team's M7A used between 1968 and 1971.

McLaren MCL39 special livery

Photo by: McLaren

The team also says that the "lean lines of the livery enhancement also draw inspiration from the elegance of the Riviera", which definitely has the MK Dons logo rebrand out-PR'd (where its marketing team noted that its round badge drew from the city's myriad roundabouts) for 'feature X represents unrelated object Y'. 

The sarcasm of this live blog post, of course, being inspired by the acidity of the lemons that grow in southern coastal France...

Cowell: Aston Martin update " a step forward"

Aston Martin team principal and CEO Andy Cowell has already spoken to media this morning, as a review from Imola.

The green cars qualified fifth and eighth for the Emilia Romagna GP last weekend, but slipped back through the order - which Cowell largely puts down to the timing of the VSC. Nonetheless, he says that the updates taken to Imola did the job expected.

Andy Cowell, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

"The update is a step forward. So Friday evening when we made the decision what to do going into FP3, it was a unanimous view within the team that we should adopt the update," he said.

"The view is still that that is the correct thing to do. So that's good, that's positive. But we need more pace. The medium tyre worked for us. Our race pace is not as good as we want it to be. So there's just more work to do. 

"And that's the same for nine teams, isn't it? One team is winning, nine teams are behind. And we all want to get better."

Welcome to the Monaco Grand Prix!

Hello everyone, and welcome to our pre-weekend feed of updates from the paddock as we approach the Monaco Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Expect quite a few images of boats today around media sessions, where we'll hear from Nico Hulkenberg first, before Carlos Sainz's session. 

We'll also hopefully hear from our journalists on the ground, who'll be walking through the maze of the Monaco paddock. The hospitality buildings are all on one side of the track, by the Rascasse, and you go over a couple of bridges to get to the pitlane. There's no chance you manage all that without bumping into a lot of people...