Formula One 2025: McLaren back on track

Norris cruises to victory at Monaco

On this track, racing often takes a back seat. This year, it wasn’t too different as the spectacle once again became a contest of patience and precision. On a circuit where overtaking is negligible, and there is more focus on pit strategy than pure pace, victory is decided long before the chequered flag — during qualifying.

And on Saturday, Lando Norris delivered a lap that’s worthy of Monaco folklore, snatching pole from hometown hero Charles Leclerc by the finest of margins. In Monaco — a place Norris now calls home — something shifted.

Coming into the eighth round, Norris had trailed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in both form and fortune. After winning in Melbourne, his season became a frustrating string of near-misses — podiums and points aplenty — but a win remained elusive.

Even his sprint victory in Miami came under the shadow of a well-timed Safety Car. Each weekend chipped away at his confidence, and he admitted to the struggle. The pressure of expectation, both internal and external, was beginning to bite. He finally caught a break and received a much-needed push in Monaco.

The FIA’s introduction of a mandatory two-stop rule aimed to add some excitement, but the status quo at Monaco remained intact. Over the 78 laps, the pit wall chess match defined the race. Teams strategically delayed the grid for pitting, bluffed tyre choices, and built significant gaps to gain advantages.

An improbable team game took centre stage, and perfectly managed stints mattered more than bold overtakes. An unpredictable element was added to the monotony of the Monegasque event, yet not much changed. But rising above it all was Norris, who had revived himself once again, snatching his first win since the season opener in Australia. Shaky off the line but sharp thereafter, he didn’t put a wheel wrong and absorbed pressure from a determined Ferrari, leaving no room for error.

Leclerc, who has endured a love-hate relationship with his home race, kept the pressure high throughout, but could not make it a second fairytale victory in a row in front of his people. Piastri rounded off the podium.

The result reignited Norris’ title challenge and McLaren’s hold on the top two of the standings. In his redemption drive, he realised a dream — to win in Monaco, the crown jewel of Formula 1 and the race every driver wants to conquer. In doing so, Norris reminded the world, and perhaps himself, that he still belongs at the very top.

Piastri ticks off Spain win

Just three points separated the McLaren duo atop the standings, with the team’s dominance in the constructors’ table cementing its status as favourite in Barcelona.

The Spanish Grand Prix, the final stop of another gruelling triple-header, seemed the ideal setting to end the team’s 20-year winless streak at this venue.

As in Monaco, a front-row start in Spain is often half the battle, and McLaren had both drivers leading the pack. To the disappointment of previous winner Norris, it was Piastri who snatched pole with a commanding lap. However, the Max Verstappen threat loomed large from third on the grid.

The Red Bull ace made quick work of Norris but couldn’t quite match the McLarens on raw pace. Banking on aggression, Red Bull went with a three-stop strategy, giving Verstappen the licence to push hard on fresher tyres. The gamble had begun to work until it all went downhill.

Norris, who had regained his place later on, had the Red Bull in his rear-view mirror just as they began to lap the slower cars. But a Safety Car upended everything — the entire field got a cheap pit stop. Verstappen’s earlier stops were nullified, and the advantage dissipated.

With fresher tyres and track position, it was advantage McLaren once again. Piastri nailed the restart, Norris followed, and Verstappen fell into the clutches of Ferrari’s Leclerc. Battling both the scarlet red competitor and his own car, the Dutchman’s podium hopes faded quickly.

His frustration peaked with a clash involving George Russell, earning him a 10-second penalty and three penalty points. He slumped to a disappointing tenth, losing further ground to the runaway McLaren pair.

Piastri claimed his fifth win of the season, leading McLaren to its third 1–2 finish in nine races — its first in Spain since Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard in 2000. Leclerc, continuing his comeback trail from Monaco with his third podium, offering a rare bright spot for Ferrari.

As the F1 bandwagon heads to Canada for round 10, McLaren sits firmly in control.

And with Piastri and Norris separated by 10 points, the championship fight is increasingly shaping up as a two-way race.

MotoGP

The British MotoGP event witnessed the younger Marquez brother, Alex  (right), cruise to sprint victory, while a surprise new race winner from Aprilia gave the team its first win in more than a year.

At the Silverstone circuit, Fabio Quartararo impressed with his single-lap pace once again and stormed to pole, pipping Marc Marquez. But his glorious lead lasted one lap in the sprint before the Spaniard overtook him to get back on course.

However, the older Márquez made a rare mistake, running wide on the second lap and handing the prized position to Alex, who had passed Quartararo moments before. Marc remained close to Alex for most of the race, but he was never allowed to bounce back.

Alex fittingly ended his brother’s perfect record in this year’s sprint races, guiding his Gresini Ducati to the finish line.

But on Sunday, it was Marco Bezzecchi  (left) who starred, acing a masterclass in tyre management to win the Grand Prix for Aprilia — a long-awaited achievement in this dismal season without defending champion Jorge Martin, who recently announced his decision to leave the side.

Bezzecchi executed a soft-tyre gamble impeccably to take the chequered flag ahead of Johann Zarco and championship leader Marc. The Ducati rider, scoring consistently so far, enjoys a 24-point lead over Alex, who finished fifth.