Monaco Grand Prix Power Rankings

The crown jewel and the most iconic venue on the calendar, Formula 1 rolls into the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo for the eighth round of the 2025 season, the Monaco Grand Prix.

In addition to the test of navigating the famous Circuit de Monaco street circuit, this year's race presents a new challenge following the introduction of a second mandatory pit stop.

The decision to add an additional mandatory pit stop was made in an attempt to inject excitement into a race which is known for being a processional event, and the new ruling presents teams with a fascinating strategy conundrum.

Last time out in Imola, Max Verstappen produced a masterclass to record his second win of the season and keep his name in a title fight that McLaren possessed a strong grip of after a 1-2 finish in Miami.

A competitive aerodynamic package is the key to success around the streets of Monaco and while Red Bull proved their RB21 thrives around high-speed corners, there is great intrigue as to how the car will perform when tackling the low-speed segments of the circuit.

5 - Isack Hadjar

Isack Hadjar's stellar rookie season continued with an impressive weekend at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as he converted his Q3 appearance into a ninth-placed finish.

It means the Racing Bulls driver has chalked up points in three of his previous five races and Hadjar was ruffling the feathers of the bigger boys as he kept the charging Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli and the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at bay during a critical phase.

The RB car appeared extremely suited to the medium-speed corners of Imola, which suggests Hadjar can maintain his rich run of form and potentially reach double-figures as we approach a third of the 2025 season.

4 - Lando Norris

An opening race triumph in Melbourne suggested this could be Lando Norris' year in his quest for a maiden world championship, but his title prospects have dwindled in the wake of Oscar Piastri's victorious form.

The Bristolian could take encouragement from his Sunday outing in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as he fought back from a below-par qualifying session to salvage second.

Demonstrating strong pace in the opening stint, Norris' ability to extract maximum tyre performance could be critical when the two mandatory pit stops impact proceedings around the Monte Carlo harbour.

3 - Alex Albon

Alex Albon has been the star of the show in recent weeks and spearing Williams' incredible resurgence.

Repeating his Miami trick by climbing from seventh to an excellent fifth, Albion showcased superb consistency and the competitiveness of the FW47 suggests they may continue to antagonise Mercedes and Ferrari at the weekend.

Williams' form is certainly no flash in the pan and Albon will be targeting a third successive top-five finish.

2 - Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri deservedly leads at the top of the Drivers' Championship but his title credentials are set to be challenged in the coming weeks.

Qualifying on pole at Imola, the Australian made the mistake of leaving the door ajar when Verstappen was lurking and he was duly punished as the four-time world champion executed his move and scampered off into the distance.

You would hope Piastri will have learned from such an invaluable lesson and with McLaren possessing the speed to triumph in Monaco, you sense only strategic errors will undermine his charge.

1 - Max Verstappen

An empathic winner of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was simply untouchable at Imola as he pulled off an audacious overtake at the first corner before settling into a phenomenal rhythm that Piastri simply couldn't comprehend.

Momentum can shift so quickly in Formula 1 and Verstappen will know the importance of capitalising on any small shift in his favour.

However, the Dutchman will likely have his work cut out with Red Bull unsure if their package will be as competitive around the streets of Monte Carlo compared to the fast-flowing theatre of Imola.

Either way, Verstappen appears to have found his groove with the RB21 and you'd be daft to ignore his credentials this weekend.