It is time for the jewel in Formula 1’s crown. The narrow, winding streets of Monte Carlo provide the glamorous setting for one of the most technically challenging tests for any racing driver. This is the Monaco Grand Prix.

For 78 laps, a Formula 1 driver must display absolute focus, for Monaco takes no prisoners. Run wide elsewhere and you lose time. Run wide at Monaco, and you end your race. To perform well requires daring to skirt the barriers, and getting right onto the very edge of the limit. Anything less than pushing the car to the edge will mean falling behind, and therefore finding the balance is as crucial here as could be.

Qualifying yielded its usual pattern, though with some small surprises. Max Verstappen his eighth pole in as many races. This was not certainly not unusual, though in Q1 Theo Pourchaire put his Meerkat into the top ten, in a remarkable display of pace. He could not sustain that level of performance, but reached Q2 whilst teammate Liam Lawson did not. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc placed himself second on the grid for the race, much to the delight of his home Monaco crowd, but would he be able to make it count?

He certainly made it count at the start. An uncharacteristically slow getaway from Verstappen allowed Leclerc to grab the lead into turn 1, and around the winding streets of the principality, he began to stretch a small advantage. Behind him, Verstappen began to fall away, and it would soon transpire that mechanical gremlins were at work. He complained of engine clipping, and before long Lando Norris would offer a similar complaint about his McLaren. However both would carry on, trying to exert as much pressure on Leclerc as possible.

A bit further back, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton had qualified poorly, and he found himself behind the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg and the Meerkat of Theo Pourchaire. As always, Monaco proved a difficult circuit to overtake on, and Hamilton would be frustrated behind Hulkenberg for several laps. After a time, he began to fall away, in a further demonstration of his and Mercedes woes, and there would be more anguish for Mercedes as the race wore on.

As the race wore on, it became apparent that Verstappen could not catch Leclerc. It also became clear that no one else was likely to threaten him. Would it be that the only person who could take the race away from Leclerc was himself? The Ferrari man remained composed, seeing out lap after lap without issue, and whilst the prospect of an emotional victory on home turf must have weighed on his mind, Leclerc did not show it in his driving.

Others were not so composed. Hamilton bumped wheels with the Williams of Logan Sargeant whilst lapping the American, and voiced his immense dissatisfaction on the radio. The second Mercedes of George Russell had an even worse experience, running wide and pranging his front wing.

The hijinks for Russell would prove particularly critical for the lower points positions. Continuing on with a damaged front wing cost him far too much time, as he sought to catch Hulkenberg, who in turn ended up behind Pourchaire. The young Frenchman had worked his way into 10th, and thus held a point-scoring position, something he continued to hold once he had completed his second and final stop. On fresh soft tyres, Pourchaire held an initial advantage over Hulkenberg, however would the soft tyres last until the end? The gamble was that their performance would last some 20 or so laps, doable but difficult.

Perhaps though, the key story of the day was how Charles Leclerc, who had suffered several agonising experiences at Monaco, would hold on to take his first ever home win, and his third win of the season. Sergio Perez brought his Red Bull home in second place, and Carlos Sainz ensured two Ferraris would finish on the podium. Lando Norris got ahead of Verstappen, whose engine issues got worse as the race wore on.

There could no denying that Leclerc had driven a magnificent race. He kept in complete control, right up till he crossed the finish line, and then his tears of joy could flow.

It was a special moment for Meerkat Racing too. The new team claimed their first ever world championship point, through Pourchaire’s 10th place, to fist-pumps of sheer delight. It seems strangely appropriate that this milestone should happen against the backdrop of Monte Carlo’s splendour.

So, where does this leave the title standings?

Leclerc has cut Verstappen’s lead to 24 points at the top. It could be that we are yet in for an intriguing championship fight.

In the constructor’s championship, Ferrari have opened up a 17-point lead. Meerkat Racing have leapt up to eighth.

After the twisting turns of Monaco comes the fast-paced action of Canada, next time around. Will Verstappen get back to winning ways, or can Leclerc sustain a title charge?

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