Grand Prix in the Principality: Norris fulfills dreams – and makes Formula 1 exciting

Lando Norris first stretched the winning fist into the air and after his acclaimed Monaco premiere victory also picked up a kiss from his overjoyed mom. “Monaco, baby! We won in Monaco, that’s a dream,” the Briton divided to its box after a tremor in the principality and bumped out a cheering cry. The 25-year-old British was noticeable after ensuring that he had a new tension in the title fight of Formula 1 and increased the pressure on his only narrowly leading team-mate Oscar Piatri.

“It feels incredible. It was a long race. It doesn’t matter how you win,” said Norris after his sixth career success: “I dreamed of it as a child, now I did it.” Vice world champion Norris has his residence in Monaco and, after difficult months, creates hope in the World Cup fight again. “He didn’t make a mistake and drove brilliantly. It was an incredible race,” said McLaren boss Zak Brown.

Piatri only three points ahead of Norris

It is the first victory in Monaco since 2008 for the traditional British racing stable, even the 16th – no other team has anymore. Norris thus shortened its gap to the recently so strong Piatri to just three World Cup points. The Australian Piatri had to be satisfied with third place in the long -gripping Grand Prix in the noble location.

In the narrow streets of his hometown, Leclerc rushed to the last round Norris, but just couldn’t get by. “We got second, that is more than I expected,” said Leclerc: “Of course I would have liked to have won, but we can be satisfied.”

Four champion Max Verstappen landed fourth in the Red Bull a week after his success in Imola. Despite a daring strategy, the Dutchman had to give up the two leading McLaren again in the overall ranking and was only able to annoy the rivals for a few rounds.

The next chance to make it better is already available at the ninth of 24 season runs in Barcelona next Sunday. The same applies to Nico Hülkenberg, which came to the finish line once more far from the points than 16.

Norris in the lead from the start

Norris defended his first starting place with a hard maneuver in the first curve and kept Leclerc at a distance. The previous year’s winner tried to counter, but just like the day before trying to make it into pole for the fourth time. Both had a spectacular quality, Leclerc did not give up until the end of the race.

A one -time change of rule meant that Oliver Bearmann, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda changed their tires in the first round. This year, only had to be lodged by every pilot in Monaco. Because Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto crashed into the guardrail in the first circulation, the trio used the short break in racing to raise new tires.

Also compulsory boxing stops do not cause any tension

The reason for the compulsory boxing stops was the lack of tension in recent years. The teams should have more tactical possibilities because overtaking is almost impossible in the principality. However, teams such as the Racing Bulls and Williams used to delay the game in phases in order to give one driver the time to change the tire.

Overall, the new rule did not cause more action on the shortest route in the calendar with a length of 3.337 kilometers. The narrow asphalt band is at most ten meters wide to risk a maneuver, can have fatal consequences. Nowhere are the guardrails so close, nowhere do small mistakes have such drastic consequences as the classic on the Côte d’Azur.

That felt that in round nine gas. The French alpine driver crashed into the rear with a lot of momentum in the Red Bull and destroyed the front axle after his faux pas. Gasly dragged himself into the pit lane on three wheels and blocked the garages of competitor Williams.

Bezos and Mbappé at star casserole in the principality

At the top, nothing changed after the second virtual safety car. In front of the eyes of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, football star Kylian Mbappé and supermodel Naomi Campbell, it became only briefly more exciting by the first tires of the top teams.

Norris stayed in front of Leclerc and Piatri after his stop, Verstappen stayed the longest on the slopes and took over the top. When the Dutch needed new tires, the old order was restored.

Even the second tire change of the strongest race stables stayed off the longest and hoped for a safety car phase. In addition, he broke Norris in phases, so that Leclerc and later Piatri were able to catch up again. But Verstappen Poker did not work, after the second compulsory stop he couldn’t make it to the podium in the Princely Lodge.