It was a frustrating Sunday on the streets of Monte Carlo, as the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix delivered heartbreak rather than heroics for the team. Despite a strategic gamble and spirited efforts from both drivers, George Russell came home just outside the points in P11, with Kimi Antonelli finishing P18 after a race that tested patience more than pace.
Starting from P14 and P15, the team rolled the dice with a bold strategy—beginning on the Hard compound and aiming for a long first stint under the new mandatory two-stop regulation, which forced all three tyre compounds into play.
The plan? Stay out of the chaos early, pick off positions late.
The result? A gridlock of tactics that saw rivals playing team games, slowing the pace to protect their teammates and bottling up the field.
In the final stages, Russell managed to make his two compulsory stops with help from Kimi’s team-first approach, keeping hold of P11 despite an earlier drive-through penalty for an illegal pass on Albon at the Nouvelle Chicane.
No points this time—but the team retains P2 in the Constructors’ standings heading into next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Earlier in the day, Mercedes Junior Noah Strømsted battled hard to P14 in the FIA F3 Feature Race, adding another learning chapter to his rookie season.
| Driver | Grid | Result | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Russell | P14 | P11 | 1:13.405 |
| Kimi Antonelli | P15 | P18 | 1:13.518 |
| Driver | Start | Stop 1 | Stop 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Russell | Hard | Medium (Lap 64) | Hard (Lap 70) |
| Kimi Antonelli | Hard | Medium (Lap 73) | Hard (Lap 74) |
George Russell
“It felt like we were playing chess more than racing today. The new two-stop rule turned the race into a game of strategy between teams, and unfortunately, we lost out.
Everyone was driving four seconds off the pace, playing the team game. But in the final laps, I got to push flat-out—and in Monaco, that’s always something special.”
Kimi Antonelli
“Not the result we wanted, but not unexpected either. I tried to be aggressive early and made a good move on Bortoleto. After that, we got stuck in the train.
There was no real chance to fight. Still, I’m learning a lot, especially about managing these tyre compounds. I’m already looking forward to Barcelona.”
Toto Wolff – Team Principal & CEO
“A disappointing race, but not a surprising one. We were always going to struggle starting from the midfield in Monaco. The new rules encouraged defensive tactics and there was little opportunity to change the outcome. We’ll reflect on that as a sport. Monaco remains iconic, but qualifying is everything here—and we paid the price for Saturday.”
Andrew Shovlin – Trackside Engineering Director
“We just weren’t good enough in qualifying, and from there the race was always going to be tough. The balance wasn’t right, and the tyres didn’t give us what we needed. There are lessons here, and we’ll take them to Barcelona where we expect to be stronger.”
It’s a quick turnaround as the team sets its sights on the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, where the more traditional layout and harder tyres could offer a better platform to bounce back. There’s plenty to improve—but the fight continues.