The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix was a chaotic affair, with qualifying and the first lap setting the tone for a thrilling race. Edd Straw's rankings provide an insightful look at the drivers' performances, offering a unique perspective on the weekend's events. Here's a breakdown of the top 22 drivers, with a focus on their strengths, weaknesses, and overall impact.
Max Verstappen
Pros:
- Turned tables after Friday, outpacing Russell.
- Topped the tyres and delivered a stellar Q3 performance.
- Handled the risk of standing starts and safety car restarts with ease.
Cons:
- Mercedes had pace, but Russell's performance highlighted the need for execution.
Verdict: A complete weekend, showcasing his ability to adapt and excel under pressure.
Charles Leclerc
Pros:
- Outstanding qualifying, just half a second off pole.
- Clear performance advantage over Hadjar.
- Error-free race, showcasing his racecraft.
Cons:
- No opportunity to showcase his full potential in the race.
Verdict: A brilliant qualifying performance, but a missed opportunity in the race.
Sergio Perez
Pros:
- Impressive qualifying, ahead of potentially quicker cars.
- Error-free race, scoring despite others' issues.
Cons:
- Others' misfortune and penalties aided his result, but the car lacked pace.
Verdict: Fast and consistent, executing the weekend flawlessly.
Carlos Sainz
Pros:
- Aced qualifying in a challenging car.
- Error-free race, passing a McLaren on lap one.
Cons:
- Speeding penalty, a minor setback.
Verdict: A strong performance, showcasing his ability to manage high-risk laps.
George Russell
Pros:
- Extracted the best from a slow Aston Martin.
- Committed on track despite car issues.
Cons:
- FP1 incident disrupted his performance.
- Car's unpredictability limited his ranking potential.
Verdict: A survival-focused performance, making the most of a challenging car.
Pierre Gasly
Pros:
- Good progress in practice, despite grip struggles in qualifying.
- Outqualified Sainz with a daring 'Hail Mary' lap.
- Battled deployment issues for points.
Cons:
- Struggled as a rolling roadblock.
Verdict: A strong weekend, but power unit troubles affected his performance.
Nico Hulkenberg
Pros:
- Banging in a lap of the weekend on old tyres after a red flag.
- Drove a good race, playing the team game.
- Running 10th before a contact incident.
Cons:
- Could have avoided the contact that cost him points.
- Missed out on a strong performance due to Q2 issues.
Verdict: A good weekend, but a missed opportunity due to contact.
Lando Norris
Pros:
- Fourth place, a decent result given McLaren's pace.
- Executed Q3 better than Gasly.
Cons:
- Slower than Gasly, with fortune playing a role in his result.
- Speeding penalty, a minor setback.
Verdict: A good, but not stellar, weekend.
Daniel Ricciardo
Pros:
- Recovered from FP1 shunt, showcasing underlying speed.
- Dealt with engine problems and gear loss.
Cons:
- FP1 shunt set him back.
- Not at Verstappen's level.
Verdict: A decent recovery, despite power unit troubles.
Oscar Piastri
Pros:
- Slight underlying pace advantage over Gasly.
- Solid result without power unit issues.
Cons:
- Mistake at the chicane in Q3.
- Optimistic move around Gasly at Turn 1.
Verdict: Missed out on a strong performance due to mistakes.
Kevin Magnussen
Pros:
- Clean weekend on his Monaco debut.
- Capitalised on Albon's deployment struggles.
Cons:
- Marginally off Lawson's pace.
- Q2 issues.
Verdict: A decent weekend, but reliant on luck.
Mick Schumacher
Pros:
- Clean race from a lowly grid position.
- Benefitted from others' misfortune.
Cons:
- Marginally slower Haas driver.
- Reliant on luck for points.
Verdict: Misfortune played a role, but not his best Monaco performance.
Valtteri Bottas
Pros:
- Outpaced team-mate Bottas.
- Close to Q2, 10th on the road before a penalty.
- Managed brake troubles.
Cons:
- Grid box imprecision, a careless error.
Verdict: Led the line for Cadillac, but a penalty cost him.
Lewis Hamilton
Pros:
- Good pace, with a Q3 lap close to pole.
- Flashes of real pace despite brake problems.
Cons:
- Errors in qualifying, including a wall strike.
- Brakes and track surface contributed to a crash.
Verdict: Brake issues marred his performance, but there was more to come.
Esteban Ocon
Pros:
- Quick in Q1, 0.138s quicker than Gasly.
- Clean crash in FP3, a strange incident.
Cons:
- Massenet shunt, a setback.
- Losing the front wing on the first lap, a potential avoidable issue.
Verdict: Couldn't harness his speed, but mitigating factors played a role.
Pierre Gasly (second time)
Pros:
- 0.233s off Gasly in Q2, considering struggles.
- Little he could do in the race, given traffic.
Cons:
- Lack of confidence on brakes, never at Gasly's level.
- Minor crash and speeding penalty.
Verdict: Never seemed confident in the car.
Fernando Alonso
Pros:
- Kept it clean and tidy, despite braking troubles.
Cons:
- Well off his team-mate's pace.
- Crashed out at the last corner, a result of track and engine issues.
Verdict: Unfortunate, but a lack of pace was a recurring theme.
Nyck de Vries
Pros:
- Strong underlying pace, trending to be the top Audi in qualifying.
- Survived a difficult race, finishing 11th.
Cons:
- Q1 blunder ruined a promising weekend.
- Enforced pitlane start limited his potential.
Verdict: A Q1 blunder, but a strong performance nonetheless.
