MONACO GP 2026 / CAN ANTONELLI KEEP WINNING?

That image will stay. George Russell, standing next to his Mercedes stranded in the gravel at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, flinging his headrest onto the track and hitting the nose of his car before storming off, ripping off his gloves. A cold, genuine rage that says everything about what he was losing that Sunday.

That may be the most painful paradox of Canada for Russell. He had the pace to win. He had the speed to trigger his 2027 renewal clause. And the engine took it all away. For Monaco, the question is no longer purely sporting. It is mental. Does Russell arrive in Monaco under pressure, or will this rage become his fuel for the weeks ahead?

Monaco can change everything for Russell

Monaco is one of the few circuits where pure dominance is not enough. The Monte-Carlo track rewards precision, knowledge of the barriers, the ability to qualify on the front row and to manage the 78 laps that follow with total composure. If Russell arrives focused, Monaco could be the chance to claw back part of his championship deficit and pile the pressure back on Antonelli.

Four wins in a row. Joining Alonso, Hamilton and Verstappen as the only active drivers to have pulled off that feat. At 19. In his first full season. Superlatives are running out to describe what Kimi Antonelli is achieving at the start of the 2026 season.

But Monaco is a special case. The Monte-Carlo street circuit tends to level out differences in pure performance and to reward track knowledge, qualifying and the ability to manage the race between the walls. If Antonelli is not on pole on Saturday, having the fastest car on the grid will not help him: overtaking in Monaco is almost impossible in normal conditions.

That line from Antonelli after Canada may be the most frightening one for his rivals. Dominating the season like this has become his normal. For him, winning has become routine.

Charles Leclerc was born in Monte-Carlo. He grew up in these streets. He knows every barrier, every bump, every millimetre of this circuit better than anyone. And yet, at 28, he is still chasing his first home win in Formula 1.

In 2021, a failure put him out from pole. In 2022, he retired from pole. Luck did not smile on him in the years that followed. But 2026 is a different season. Ferrari moved up to 2nd in the constructors' standings after Canada, ahead of McLaren. Hamilton and Leclerc form the most consistent pairing among the customer teams. And in Monaco, on this ultra-specific circuit, Ferrari often has an edge over Mercedes in qualifying.

If Leclerc takes pole on Saturday, he instantly becomes the favourite for victory. Monaco is often won on Saturday.

The 2026 edition comes with several new features that will weigh on how the weekend unfolds. The two mandatory pit stops rule introduced in 2025 has been dropped: it had not improved the show as hoped. The qualifying format has also evolved. And above all, two new teams make their debut on the Monaco grid: Audi and Cadillac, bringing the number of teams to 11 and the number of cars to 22.

• The revised calendar: Monaco now takes place in early June instead of late May, to avoid clashing with the Indianapolis 500. The change brings better media visibility.
• 22 cars on track: With Audi and Cadillac on the grid, the streets of Monaco will be even more crowded. Qualifying will be decisive.
• The pressure of Russell's clause: Every race is now crucial for Russell's renewal clause at Mercedes. One more retirement could permanently jeopardise his 2027.
• Ferrari vs Mercedes in the constructors' standings: Ferrari reclaimed 2nd in the constructors' standings in Canada. Monaco can widen or narrow that gap.
• Antonelli's form: Four wins in a row give Mercedes absolute confidence. But Monaco is the most unpredictable circuit on the calendar.

The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix runs from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte-Carlo. It is round 6 of the world championship and the 72nd edition of this legendary race. All times are local (CEST, Central European Summer Time).

• Thursday 4 June: Free Practice 1 (1:30 pm) and Free Practice 2 (5:00 pm)
• Friday 5 June: No track action (Monaco tradition)
• Saturday 6 June: Free Practice 3 (12:30 pm) and Qualifying (4:00 pm)
• Sunday 7 June: Grand Prix (3:00 pm) · 78 laps · 260 km