Norris hails ‘long, grueling’ race but had good fun

Lando Norris says his win in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was a veritable dream come true moment, savoured after a long and grueling race, but one in which he also had good fun.

Starting from pole, the McLaren driver held off the early advances of Charles Leclerc and later managed the threat of a resurgent Max Verstappen, who delayed his final pit stop in a bid to capitalize on any late chaos.

Despite those challenges, Norris controlled the race from the front and sealed his second win of the 2025 season.

“It feels amazing,” Norris said afterward. “It's a long, gruelling race but good fun.

“We could push for quite a lot of the race, the last corner was a little bit nervous with Charles close behind and Max ahead but we won in Monaco. Doesn’t matter how you win I guess.

“I had an amazing weekend with pole, today, this is what I dream of. This is what I did dream of when I was a kid so I achieved one of my dreams.”

Composure Under Pressure

Despite locking up both front tyres into Sainte Devote on the opening lap, Norris kept the lead and set the tone for a race of control and strategy.

Under the two-stop rule mandated for this year’s event – a bid to inject more excitement into the traditionally processional race – Norris temporarily lost the lead during pit stop cycles but never lost his composure.

As the race wore on, Norris had to balance the threat of Leclerc behind and Verstappen ahead.

The Red Bull driver was yet to make his final stop and was banking on a late safety car or red flag to hand him a free pit window. That meant Norris had to walk a strategic tightrope in the final laps to avoid being vulnerable.

“The worst bit really was just the end,” Norris explained. “I felt quite under control the whole race but Max was ahead and Max was kind of backing it up a little bit and I knew then that was when Charles had the opportunity.

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“So I had to manage it quite a lot, I tried to back off Max so I could push when I needed to and chill when I needed to. I still had to manage, it was still a well-fought race but I'm very happy.

“My team are very happy and therefore, we're going to have a wonderful night.”

Championship Momentum

With the win, Norris not only adds one of Formula 1’s most historic victories to his résumé but also narrows the gap in the Drivers’ Championship to just three points behind McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished third in Monaco.

Piastri closed in on the leading duo in the final laps, but Norris’s careful tire and pace management kept him out of striking distance.

Leclerc had been hoping for a home victory of his own, but the Monegasque driver was left to settle for second—again—despite maintaining pressure throughout.

For Norris, the win is the realization of a dream he’s carried since childhood.

With a dominant weekend that saw him take pole position and convert it into a famous Monaco win, he now stands not just as a contender for the title, but as a driver capable of seizing the sport’s most iconic moments.

And after all the stress and strategy of race day, one thing is certain for Norris and his crew: “We’re going to have a wonderful night.”

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