"max-verstappen"

Lando Norris cruised to victory at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday to cut teammate Oscar Piastri's Formula 1 standings lead

Fourth straight victory for the Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, in Japan

Mercedes' George Russell secured the final podium spot, while Williams' Alexander Albon finished fourth after a late five-second penalty pushed Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli down to fifth. Lando Norris now leads the world championship after winning the season-opening Australian GP for McLaren, a race marked by unpredictable rain and multiple crashes.

Formula 1 is expecting a hyper-competitive milestone 75th anniversary season in 2025, and it starts this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix

Perez has not won a race since April 2023, even as his teammate Max Verstappen has dominated F1, and the 34-year-old Mexican was rarely competitive this season.

The McLaren driver entered a thrilling, wheel-to-wheel battle with Verstappen beginning at Turn 1 on the opening lap. Although Norris initially had the upper hand, Verstappen quickly countered using a different tire strategy, leading to an intense fight for the final podium position.

After George Russell set the early pace in SQ3, Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz—who had shown strong form earlier—attempted to surpass him but fell short. Max Verstappen, however, waited until the final moments to secure P1 for Red Bull.

Pre-race rain soaked the track, prompting most drivers to choose Intermediate tires. George Russell of Mercedes, starting from pole position, led the first 21 laps before being overtaken by McLaren's Lando Norris

McLaren's Lando Norris secured second position while Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished third.

Verstappen, the reigning Drivers' Champion, began from fourth position due to an error in Friday's wet qualifying session. In the early laps of the Sprint, he held third place and voiced concerns to his team about insufficient battery power at one point.

Verstappen, aiming for a record-equalling 10th consecutive win, initially led from pole position. However, he encountered issues early in the race, allowing Sainz to seize the opportunity and challenge for the lead after a compromised second lap.

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez secured the third spot on the grid, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Lando Norris completed the top five.

Drama Unfolds as Charles Leclerc Crashes on Formation Lap, Forcing Retirement Before Race Start

Verstappen joins the elite ranks of three-time F1 champions, alongside legends like Brabham, Stewart, Lauda, Piquet, and Senna, with Prost and Vettel holding four titles each in the all-time standings.

The first qualifying session was red-flagged when Lance Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin and speared into the wall on the final corner.

Another flawless performance from the two-time defending champion saw Verstappen beat teammate Sergio Pérez by 6.802 seconds

Thousands of red-clad Ferrari fans cheered as Sainz, who turned 29 on Friday, crossed the line 0.013 seconds quicker than runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen

Hamilton and teammate George Russell penned new deals through to the end of the 2025 season

Max Verstappen clinched his third straight victory from pole position at the Zandvoort track, with veteran Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso finishing second

The only threat to Verstappen's hopes of equalling the nine-race winning streak of Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull back in 2013 is the weather, that too in his own nation.