HAMILTON GRATEFUL FOR MONACO PODIUM IN ‘HARDEST CONDITIONS’

Lewis Hamilton clinched P2 at the Monaco Grand Prix, matching Ayrton Senna’s record of eight podium finishes on the iconic street circuit. Hamilton described the conditions as "the hardest" he's encountered, but still took the result. Kimi Antonelli delivered a dominant victory for Mercedes. Hamilton benefited early when Max Verstappen stalled on the grid, promoting him to second.

Despite a five-second penalty for pit lane speeding, a perfectly timed Safety Car allowed Hamilton to serve his penalty without losing track position. Hamilton praised Mercedes and Antonelli’s performance, admitting his Ferrari team still requires significant development to match their pace, citing a need for more downforce and better long-run tyre management. The hard-fought podium moves Hamilton to P2 in the Drivers' Championship, ahead of George Russell. Ferrari must find more performance if they hope to challenge the frontrunners consistently.