F1 LIVE: Lewis Hamilton accusation fired as star sanctioned at Monaco Grand Prix

Express Sport brings you the latest F1 news ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.

 

Max Verstappen will be hoping to follow up his victory in Imola last weekend with a similar result at the Monaco Grand Prix. The reigning world champion is eyeing

back-to-back wins for the first time in 2025 but will need to dig deep to beat McLaren again. Oscar Piastri hopes to extend his advantage in the Drivers’ Championship standings, while Lando Norris needs a victory to close the gap.

Lewis Hamilton will also be desperate for a strong weekend with Ferrari having failed to impress so far this season. They have comfortably been the slowest of the top four teams and suffered a double Q2 exit at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. A repeat showing in Monaco would be disastrous, given how difficult it is to overtake on the narrow streets of the principality.

 

Father of Red Bull star and reigning four-time champion Max Verstappen, Jos accepted that the improvement of McLaren has made the season more exciting for fans.

However, he argued that the controversial front wings on the McLaren car mean there is not a level playing field.

“For the fans and for Formula One this is an ideal scenario,” Jos said. “They want to have an exciting season and not someone who wins 20 races, so that it becomes monotonous.

“But I do think that there should be a level playing field. Like with those flexible front wings, which will only be banned in Spain from next week. Then certain teams have benefited from that for too long. I don’t think that is fair.”

Fans are seeing the Mangusta GranSport 33 vessel for the first time.

Verstappen placed his order on the £12m boat two years ago and was finally able to collect it earlier in 2025.

The 27-year-old has named it ‘Unleash The Lions’.

You can read all about the yacht by clicking here.

Max Verstappen has a new superyacht (Image: Getty)
3 hours ago08:49 Sam Smith
George Russell ‘in alignment’ over Mercedes future
Mercedes are “100 per cent in alignment” with George Russell over his Formula One future, Toto Wolff insists.

Russell does not have a contract for 2026 despite an excellent start to the season.

There has been intense speculation that Mercedes are desperate to sign Max Verstappen, with Russell potentially moving aside.

The Silver Arrows have high hopes for Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old rookie driving in his first season this year.

But Wolff said: “George and I are totally clear about how this is going to go – there is 100 percent alignment. There is no such thing as dragging this on, because that is not what we do.”

4 hours ago08:04 Sam Smith
Max Verstappen complaint prompts immediate Red Bull change
Red Bull will change Max Verstappen’s visor after their star driver complained during practice.

Verstappen was only quick enough for 10th in FP2 and demanded a change shortly afterwards.

He complained that his visor was making driving a challenge, telling the team over their radio: “I think there was definitely something wrong with those tear-offs. Like the quality of that was really bad.”

Engineer Gianpiero Lambiase responded: “Copy that, we’ll sort overnight.”

5 hours ago07:29 Sam Smith
Adrian Newey highlights Aston Martin weakness
Adrian Newey has been left unimpressed with Aston Martin’s simulator facilities since joining from Red Bull.

The F1 technical guru is hoping to elevate the team back among the sport’s best. However, one of his first aims will be bringing the driver in the loop simulator back in line with what the team’s actual drivers experience on the track.

Newey said in Monaco: “I think it is fair to say that some of our tools are weak, particularly the driver in the loop simulator.

“It needs a lot of work because it’s not correlating at all at the moment, which is a fundamental research tool. Not having that is a limitation.

“But we’ve just got to work around it in the meantime and then sort out a plan to get it to where it needs to be. But that’s probably a two-year project in truth.”

“It is a handicap, but difficult to say how much. Driver in the loop simulators are used in two ways. One as a research tool, when you’re looking at how you’re going to design the following year’s car, and how you’re going to put all the tools together to better model it.

“Then the other is how you develop the set-up of the car, typically, especially for given race weekends.

“So we’re going to be a bit blind on that for some time. We have just got to try to use experience and best judgement. How successful that will be, time will tell.”

Adrian Newey spoke to the media in Monaco (Image: Getty)
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5 hours ago07:24 Sam Smith
Lewis Hamilton ‘losing sleep’ in Monaco
Lewis Hamilton anticipated losing sleep ahead of his first Monaco Grand Prix with Ferrari.

It is the home race of his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who finally won on the track for the first time last season.

Ferrari are yet to win a race this year, apart from Hamilton’s sprint victory in China.

Hamilton said: “To arrive here in a Ferrari is mad. Every weekend still is my first time with this team in all these locations that we go to, but to drive a Ferrari around this track…

“I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be in the garage surrounded by red here, and I’m going to get to experience that. I don’t know if I’ll sleep tonight, I’m really, really buzzing and really excited.”

Hamilton enjoyed one of his best performances of the year last weekend, finishing just outside the podium places at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

He continued: “We’ve definitely taken on the positives from it. There’s still a lot to digest – it’s only been a few days, obviously.

“I was on the simulator on Monday [working] on correlation and working with the engineers through the week. I hope we can have a good weekend. It’s a much different track… Ferrari have generally gone well here [in the past] but as you know, qualifying is everything and we’ve struggled so far this year, so we’ll see.”

5 hours ago07:18 Sam Smith
Max Verstappen reveals Toto Wolff talks
Max Verstappen insists his discussions with Toto Wolff centred around rebuilding their relationship.

The Dutchman is said to have been in talks with Mercedes chief Wolf, with many wondering whether he could move to the Silver Arrows.

But instead, Verstappen claims they spoke about healing following the chaotic and controversial end to the 2021 season. The 27-year-old beat Lewis Hamilton to the world title on the last lap of the final Grand Prix after a safety car had been deployed and the lap restarted.

“I think it was our first real conversation since 2021,” Verstappen explained to De Telegraaf as he offered an insight into his chat with Wolff. “We corrected a few things from that year.”

The 27-year-old added: “We also talked a little bit about the future perspective. But for me it’s not just about F1. I do a lot of things with Red Bull.

“Everyone always thinks that decisions about my future are purely based on what’s going on here in this world, but I’m working on a lot more. There’s more than ‘project F1’. That’s not something that every team can just offer.”

session.

The whole day has been a bit up and down,” explained the Australian. “When we get everything together the pace is quite good, just not proving that easy to do at the moment. Some things to look at.

“Especially for myself it has been a messy day. Reset for tomorrow because the pace in the car is there.

“Ferrari are looking a lot stronger here than they have done. Today it has been more on my side that’s been quite messy. Plenty to learn and I think tomorrow will be an interesting day.”

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The Ferrari ace explained: “I have been feeling pretty good with the car. It hasn’t started the way I wanted with the crash with Lance [Stroll], but after that it has been pretty smooth and I am happy overall with the car.

“The one-lap pace was strong. Whatever compound we were on, I was feeling quite comfortable and the lap time was coming pretty quickly. This is always a good sign.

“Qualifying is going to be fundamental and we have to be starting in front if we want to have a good result.”

 

The object didn’t hamper the star, however, as he was able to clock the fastest times in FP1 and FP2.

 

Television replays showed Bearman appearing to overtake Carlos Sainz during a red flag that had been triggered by Oscar Piastri’s crash during the second session of Friday’s action.

The stewards subsequently noted the incident, opened an investigation and decided Bearman would be given a 10-place grid penalty.

19 hours ago17:37 Tom Parsons
Leclerc dominates free practice
Ferrari star Charles Leclerc could be the man to beat at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix after clocking the fastest times in both free practice sessions today.

The Monegasque got the better of Max Verstappen in FP1 and came out ahead of Oscar Piastri in FP2. He’ll be full of confidence ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying session.

 

He was approaching the hairpin but came into contact with Stroll, who got his bearings wrong and moved across the track.

Leclerc was not happy, saying over team radio: “Oh, come on! We crashed. I don’t think he was aware about the blue flags.”

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23 hours ago13:39 Archie Griggs
Charles Leclerc quickest in FP1
Hometown hero Charles Leclerc has laid down an early marker in Monaco by setting the fastest lap in FP1.

His best effort was a tenth up on Max Verstappen’s quickest time, with Lando Norris coming home in third.

Alex Albon splits the two McLarens in fourth while Lewis Hamilton ends up all the way down in ninth place.

23 hours ago12:49 Archie Griggs
Adrian Newey spotted in Monaco
Adrian Newey is in the Monaco paddock this weekend, with the legendary designer attending his first race since moving to Aston Martin.

24 hours ago12:14 Archie Griggs
Lewis Hamilton admits to being ‘nervous’
Lewis Hamilton says he was riddled with nerves before the rest of the grid watched Brad Pitt’s upcoming F1 movie.

Hamilton was a co-producer of the film through his media company Dawn Apollo.

“I’ve seen it like 20 times already at least,” he said. “It was an incredible experience.

“To see what goes into making a movie right from the first treatment and first script, which was 30 pages, to then see it build into a story.

“It was great to look around and see some of the reactions from the drivers. I really care what the drivers think and I wanted them to think highly of it.

“I was sat in the middle and I was nervous. I messaged them afterwards, welcoming their honest opinions about it.”

yesterday11:27 Archie Griggs
Max Verstappen brutally mocks rookie driver
Max Verstappen mocked Gabriel Bortoleto by suggesting it would take him 100 laps to beat the Dutchman on the simulator.

The pair were discussing their work behind the scenes ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix when Verstappen laid down the challenge.

He said: “I’ll help you with the sim driving. I put the banker lap, and then you spend a hundred laps to beat it, and then we continue.”

Bortoleto disagreed with the claim that it would take him 100 laps, stating he could accomplish the challenge in fewer.

He joked: “That’s not true. I don’t spend a hundred laps. Only fifty.”

Max Verstappen mocked Gabriel Bortoleto before taking to the Monaco circuit (Image: GETTY)
yesterday10:57 Archie Griggs
Bernie Collins lands new role away from Sky Sports
Sky Sports analyst Bernie Collins has officially been made a trustee of the Grand Prix Trust.

The organisation was founded by Jackie Stewart and provides support to those who need it and were previously, or are still, involved in the F1 community.

The trust is led by Martin Brundle, who said he was ‘delighted’ to welcome Collins on board and declared that she would play an ‘important role’ moving forward.

In a statement, Collins added: “I’m proud to contribute to an organisation that offers practical help and guidance to members of our community when they need it most.”

yesterday10:04 Archie Griggs
Damon Hill lashes out at Max Verstappen tactice
Damon Hill has once again questioned Max Verstappen’s approach to battling his rivals on track.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Hill said: “When you’re racing someone and you want to stop them from passing, you simply cannon your car up the inside, even if the regulations haven’t been written clearly enough to say you can do that.

“I don’t think that’s racing. It’s taking a massive risk. Other people don’t do it, and if other people don’t do it, you’re an outlier.

“Running people clean off the track just to stop someone from passing is not racing. It’s simply dodgems or whatever you want to call it.

“We want to see skill and daring. We want to see it surgically done, not a bludgeon. You don’t take a mallet to something, we want to see it done with a rapier.

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yesterday08:54 Archie Griggs
Charles Leclerc admits to copying Lewis Hamilton
Charles Leclerc has admitted to copying some of Lewis Hamilton’s techniques behind the wheel of his Ferrari car.

“Carlos was a hard worker too, but Lewis is in a different way, and it’s really interesting to see the dynamics within the team,” said Leclerc.

“How does he handle problems? How does he comment on the car for development? It’s always interesting for drivers to be able to analyse how their team-mate works with his engineers.

“He’s extremely talented and has a very interesting driving style, which I sometimes use myself at certain points in the race if it’s the right thing to do.

“We both drive in a fairly similar way. We both push going into the bends. I think it’s quite positive for the team too, because we have a real, clear direction that we’re both pushing in.”

Charles Leclerc has admitted to copying some of Lewis Hamilton’s techniques (Image: GETTY)
yesterday08:15 Archie Griggs
Lewis Hamilton working on new projects
Lewis Hamilton says he is working on new media projects after being involved in the production of Brad Pitt’s upcoming F1 movie.

He wants to make more films, documentaries and possibly a television series with his Dawn Apollo production company.

“I’ve gone in very high, I couldn’t go any higher for the first movie, but we will be producing more movies over coming years,” said Hamilton.

“I’ve got three concepts that I’m writing. I’m going to write with a writer because I’ve never written a movie before.

“I’ve got these concepts, these ideas that I’ve come up with for movies. At least two of them will be animations, and one of them is already in a phase of the first part of the script, so it’s exciting.

“Then there will be documentaries, there will be maybe a TV series at some stage, but mostly movies.

“I like the development of movies. That’s what I love the most.”

yesterday07:48 Archie Griggs
Red Bull fire McLaren accusations to FIA
Red Bull have been ‘bombarding’ the FIA with accusations about the legality of McLaren’s car, according to reports in Germany.

Their complaints are said to be focused on ‘possible technical tricks’ from the Woking squad relating to tyre temperatures.

McLaren have been able to keep their tyres within the optimum range to a better degree than other teams.

It has given Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris an advantage on long runs compared to Max Verstappen and their rivals.

Despite the accusations, McLaren were cleared of using a water trick to cool their tyres following the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year.

The Dutchman remains tied down until 2028 but there are said to be concerns about the strength of his team’s power unit next year.

“First of all, Max Verstappen naturally wants to back the team to the end, that’s quite clear and we’ll have to wait and see,” Schumacher told Backstage Boxengasse.

“I mean, he’s achieved all his successes with Red Bull, he owes a lot to Red Bull and he’s the type of person who I think would stick with it to the end if it was possible.

“Nevertheless, he’ll have to wait and see. The next few races will really go on like this, because the development was stagnant and the car was difficult to drive at times.

“And a big problem, but it’s difficult to judge, but there are always rumours in the paddock about the 2026 regulations, that the Red Bull powertrain as such is not as strong as that of Mercedes in particular and could also be behind Honda.

“Of course, you have to take that into account when you look at the future as a racing driver.”

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