Lewis Hamilton’s performance at the Monaco GP generated an important change in the table, moving the Brit from fourth to second place in the general driver classification for the 2026 season. The difference in relation to the leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who won the race on the streets of the principality, reaches the mark of 66 points, but the significant margin did not take away the optimism of the Ferrari competitor, who projects a consistent evolution of the Italian team towards the top step of the podium.
The competitor demonstrated satisfaction with the current moment in the Maranello team, recognizing the specific disadvantage in the championship, but praising the progress that has placed him as the leader’s main pursuer in the title fight.
The Italian team has gone through a period of nineteen months without achieving a triumph in the main category of world motorsport. This drought scenario directly affects his two representatives, as the English driver had his last victory recorded twenty-two months ago at the 2024 Belgian GP, when he was defending Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc has not won since the Mexican GP of that same year.
Seven-time champion equals Ayrton Senna’s record in Monte Carlo
Last weekend’s feat represented the eighth opportunity in which the Briton finished among the top three on the Monegasque street circuit, equaling the historic feat established by Ayrton Senna. With this milestone, the two drivers became the biggest podium record holders on the traditional track, surpassing the numbers of Graham Hill, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who accumulated seven appearances in the top 3 of the circuit.
The decisive phase of the race occurred after a third start due to interruptions caused by accidents, requiring a break of almost three quarters of an hour for track maintenance, at which time the Ferrari car’s disadvantage to the Mercedes’ pointer was only 1s3. However, the young driver from the German team maintained a strong pace in the lead to consolidate the victory and expand his advantage in the points table.
The result marked the third podium in which the experienced driver shared the spotlight with the young man who inherited his seat in the team led by Toto Wolff. The Ferrari representative maintained his stance of encouraging the growth of the Italian competitor, praising the performance presented by his opponent and projecting a direct confrontation for the remainder of the season.
The experienced driver highlighted the technical quality of the current championship leader, mentioning the support structure he has, which includes engineer Peter Bonnington and Toto Wolff’s management at Mercedes. The veteran highlighted that seeing his rival’s success at the age of 19 serves as fuel for his own evolution and that of the entire team in the search for better results.
The configuration of the Monegasque podium also provided a moment of nostalgia by placing the Ferrari driver alongside former admirers of his career on the track. Frenchman Isack Hadjar completed the top three in Monte Carlo, guaranteeing his first presence in the top 3 in Red Bull colors and celebrating the result with the competitor who served as an inspiration in his childhood.
The veteran concluded by expressing his satisfaction in being part of this moment for the new generation, comparing the current scenario of young competitors with the beginning of his own journey in the main motorsport category in 2007.
