By Mukonazwothe Mamphitha
Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix proved to be more entertaining than many had expected, providing excitement from start to finish as Kimi Antonelli secured another win.
However, numerous drivers including Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly received five-second penalties for speeding in the pitlane.
Meanwhile, mechanical issues hindered the race for Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar before the red flag defined it all.
But who were the winners and losers of the weekend?
Winner – Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes driver Antonelli dominated Sunday’s race, securing another win for the team.
His quick reflexes saw the 19-year-old get off the line to take first place as the lights went out on Sunday afternoon.
He led from the start, building a confident gap over Hamilton behind.
Despite losing that gap during the red flag that resulted in a standing start for the last 10 laps, Antonelli kept that momentum to win the Monaco Grand Prix and secure a fifth win of the season.
Loser – Charles Leclerc
The Monaco Grand Prix started with Leclerc leading Practice One as it looked like a dominant weekend for the Monegasque driver.
However, that optimism was short lived when Sunday arrived.
Seeking to get a consecutive podium in his home race, Leclerc ended his race 10 laps early when he crashed into the barrier at Anthony Noghes corner during the safety car restart on lap 65.
He was initially running in third but a brake failure led to his early retirement as his home race, leaving him frustrated and disappointed.
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Winner – Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton’s weekend started off strong as he was in the top three in all three practice sessions before securing a P3 spot in qualifying.
Hamilton was among a few of the drivers who got five second penalties for speeding in the pitlane, which he served during lap 29 of the race.
He held a steady head as his luck seemed to continue and he got a good getaway off the line to be directly leading behind Antonelli in the race.
Though the pace of the Ferrari is not as quick as that of the Mercedes, Hamilton was able to keep his team-mate as well as Georege Russell behind, crossing the finish line in P2 and securing another podium for Ferrari.
Loser – George Russell
Russell’s weekend began less than ideal when he qualified sixth in Monaco, a street circuit known for tricky overtaking.
On Sunday, his weekend went from bad to worse when he got stuck behind Isack Hadjar after getting off the line before being handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
He then pitted under the Safety Car but failed to serve his penalty correctly resulting in a Drive Through penalty.
This cost Russell any chance to finish in the points and cost him a place in the Drivers championship. Mercedes team-mate Antonelli now holds a 68-point lead over him.
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Winner – Isack Hadjar
Starting in fifth, Hadjar was determined to race for a podium.
After losing out to Russell during the first pitstop period and losing a few places during the standing restart, he was still able to inherit a podium, the second of his F1 career.
Despite having several different issues with the car including a lack of power and massive drivability issues, Hadjar was able to maintain control of his race.
He was then later under investigation for a red flag infringement but that was later given no further investigation.
Loser – Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen started the race second on the line but barely got started when he lost power as the lights went out.
Although he did eventually get his car going, he dropped back in the field.
This led to a lap one retirement as he was called in to box his car.
Winner – Visa Cash App Racing Bulls
The car manufacturer had a complicated weekend as Liam Lawson qualified in 10th and Arvid Lindblad qualified 15th before issues were reported hours before the race started.
But as the lights went out, both cars were able to get off the line and maintain a clean race throughout, finishing in fifth and sixth place as the chequered flag was waved at the end of lap 78.
This resulted in the best career finish for the drivers as well as the team.
Loser – Lando Norris
McLaren’s weekend started out tough as driver Lando Norris qualified behind his team-mate Oscar Piastri in eighth position.
Getting off the line, Norris lost a position out to Gasly as he was dragged up the hill in the opening lap.
Discovering another power unit issue, making it the third power unit issue of the season, resulted in the driver being forced to retire the car on lap 45, ending in a disappointing weekend for the reigning world champion.
As the weekend ends with Monaco, another begins.
Barcelona hosts the action this weekend as fans are eager to see if Antonelli can extend his winning streak.
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SportJustSport writers 
Simon Wilkes 
Michael Davey