Lando Norris considers Ferrari to be the strongest team for pole position in the Mônaco GP. The McLaren driver made the statement after the Canadá GP. The 2026 season has shown absolute dominance by Mercedes so far.
The German team won all five races and started on pole in all of them. Mesmo thus, Norris bets on an interruption of this sequence on the streets of Principado.
Ferrari has an advantage in low-speed sections
The Mônaco layout favors cars with good performance in slow curves. Norris highlighted exactly this point as decisive.
McLaren has been competitive, but the Brit sees the Ferrari ahead in this specific aspect. The street circuit requires precision and traction, characteristics that favor the Italian car.
- Slow Curvas predominate in circuit layout
- Traçado requires high downforce at low speed
- Recent Histórico shows Ferrari competitive on Monte Carlo
- Charles Leclerc has good performance at home
Mercedes easily leads the start of the season
Mercedes has accumulated victories and poles since the beginning of the championship. The German team imposed clear superiority in the first stages. Norris recognizes the rival’s current situation, but projects a change in Mônaco.
The current world champion recalled McLaren’s good performance on the circuit in previous years. Ele expects a challenging weekend to measure up against the top teams.
Andrea Stella agrees with Norris’s assessment
The McLaren boss endorsed his driver’s opinion. Andrea Stella considered Ferrari’s view of Ferrari’s strength to be correct. The Italian team usually shows good pace in Monte Carlo.
Leclerc, driver of Ferrari, is a specialist in fast laps on the track. The Monegasque has already demonstrated his ability to qualify well at home.
Recent Histórico reinforces expectations for the weekend
Ferrari has delivered competitive performance on the streets of Mônaco in recent seasons. The SF-26 car should adapt well to the narrow and winding circuit.
Norris cited the good weekend he had at the location last year. Ele hopes to repeat the level of performance and fight for the front.
McLaren arrives motivated, but aware of the challenge. Mônaco’s GP represents an opportunity to interrupt Mercedes’s hegemony.
Detalhes circuit technicians influence predictions
The layout with many low-speed curves reduces the importance of straight-line speed. Isso benefits teams with specific aerodynamic tuning for traction.
Pilotos and engineers point to the casino sector and the chicane exit as critical points. Qualquer error is costly in a path without escapes.
The expectation is for a tight classification between the main teams. Pole should come from a direct fight between Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes.
McLaren focuses on repeating recent performance
Norris seeks to maintain the team’s good momentum. The Brit won in Mônaco last year and knows the demands of the venue well.
The British team worked on adjusting the unique characteristics of the circuit. The objective is to fight for front positions from free practice.
Mônaco’s GP opens an important sequence in the season. The result may indicate trends for the next steps.