Sun May 25 13:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Norris Takes Pole in Monaco, Hadjar Shines as Hamilton Faces Grid Penalty

**MONTE CARLO, Monaco -** McLaren’s Lando Norris secured a thrilling pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix after a scintillating final lap in qualifying. The young Brit edged out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to claim the top spot on the grid.

Adding to the drama, Lewis Hamilton received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during qualifying. This penalty promotes Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar to a remarkable P5 starting position, a career-best for the Frenchman.

Hadjar, who qualified in a strong P6, expressed his delight at his performance, especially after struggling in earlier practice sessions. “We did a mighty job,” he said. “This morning I had no confidence and real struggles, so going into Q1 I wasn’t even sure I could make it to Q2. So to finish P6 is just outstanding.”

His Racing Bulls teammate, Liam Lawson, also enjoyed a positive qualifying, securing P9, despite feeling he could have extracted more from his final lap.

The Monaco Grand Prix is shaping up to be a strategic affair, with a newly implemented mandatory two-stop rule adding another layer of complexity. Teams will be looking to capitalize on opportunities that may arise during the 78-lap race.

**Support Races:**

* **F2:** Roman Stanek took the win with Crawford finishing behind.
* **F3:** Nikola Tsolov dominated the Formula 3 Feature Race, breaking the Formula 3 win record.

**Other News:**

* Drivers and team bosses attended an exclusive screening of the upcoming “F1” movie, sharing positive reactions.
* Drivers reflected on the unique challenges of the Monaco circuit, with Piastri admitting to hitting more walls than ever before.

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