Penalties Shake Up Monaco Grand Prix Starting Grid

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix, narrowly beating Charles Leclerc, who cited traffic issues in Q3 as a factor in missing out. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, qualified fourth but was demoted to seventh after receiving a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen, following a car rebuild due to a heavy practice crash. Lance Stroll was penalized twice: a one-place grid drop for colliding with Leclerc in FP1, and a three-place penalty for impeding Pierre Gasly in qualifying, though his start position was largely unaffected. Leclerc had led multiple practice sessions, indicating Ferrari’s strong form on the technical Monaco circuit. The weekend was marked by frequent traffic problems, red flags, and challenges with Pirelli’s new tire compounds. These incidents and penalties have left several top drivers out of their expected positions, setting the stage for an unpredictable race.