Antonelli Sets Monaco Record
Kimi Antonelli Secures Monaco Grand Prix Win, Extends F1 Lead with Record-Breaking Victory
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Kimi Antonelli won the Monaco Grand Prix on June 7, making history as the youngest driver ever to win at Monte Carlo. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver secured his fifth consecutive victory, stretching his championship lead to 131 points and surpassing Lewis Hamilton's 2008 record by more than three years, according to The New York Times.
The race was anything but straightforward. The track surface broke apart at the Anthony Noghes corner, forcing a red flag on lap 71. Multiple title contenders retired, and a pit lane penalty reshuffled the final podium. When the dust settled, Antonelli crossed the line just 2.1 seconds ahead of Hamilton, according to Yakima Herald.
Track Breaks Apart, Chaos Reshuffles the Field
The Monaco asphalt began breaking up under the extreme torque of the new 2026-spec cars. On lap 68, Lance Stroll crashed at the final corner where the tarmac had failed. Officials deployed a red flag on lap 71 to repair the surface, according to Rutland Herald. The delay cost several drivers their race.
Charles Leclerc crashed at the same corner during the safety car restart on lap 75, ending his home race in heartbreak. Max Verstappen had already retired on lap 1 with a catastrophic engine failure, according to Idaho Press. Pierre Gasly, who initially finished third, was hit with a 10-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane during the red flag. That dropped him to seventh and handed the final podium spot to Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, according to Lancaster Online.
Antonelli Breaks Hamilton's 18-Year Monaco Record
Before Sunday, Lewis Hamilton held the record as the youngest Monaco winner, claiming victory at age 23 in 2008. Antonelli, at 19 years and 286 days, smashed that mark by more than three years, according to The New York Times. He is also the first Italian driver to win at Monaco since Jarno Trulli in 2004.
Antonelli said after the race: "I just needed a clean start. I didn't try for a 'magic start,' just a clean one. To win here, matching Lewis's streak, is an out-of-body experience." Hamilton, who finished second, was gracious. "Kimi was flawless," Hamilton said. "Watching him break my 2008 record is bittersweet but well-deserved," according to Idaho Press.
Mercedes Dominates 2026 Season With Five Straight Wins
Antonelli's win streak now covers five races: China, Japan, Miami, Canada, and Monaco. Mercedes has won all six rounds of the 2026 season. The streak ties a Mercedes team record set by Lewis Hamilton himself, according to Rutland Herald. Antonelli now leads the drivers' championship with 131 points. His nearest rival, teammate George Russell, sits 43 points back on 88.
Russell finished 11th in Monaco, outside the points. He admitted he is struggling with the car. "I'm bamboozled," Russell said. "It's clearly something with my driving style that isn't clicking with the W17 on these low-speed circuits." Analysts at The Race note that Antonelli's aggressive driving style suits the 2026 Pirelli tires better, as the new rubber needs high energy input to warm up, according to Yakima Herald.
Red Bull Crisis Deepens as Verstappen Stays Pointless
Max Verstappen's Monaco retirement was his fifth poor result of the 2026 season. The three-time champion now sits seventh in the drivers' standings. His Red Bull-Ford power unit has faced repeated reliability questions this year, according to Idaho Press. The gap between Verstappen and Antonelli is now enormous, and rumors about Verstappen's future are growing louder.
The FIA is also expected to investigate the Monaco track surface failure. The new 2026 cars produce far more torque than previous generations, and the Anthony Noghes corner tarmac could not handle the load. Both Stroll's and Leclerc's crashes happened at the same spot, according to Lancaster Online. An FIA review into tarmac durability standards at street circuits is likely to follow.
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