McLaren Challenges Lewis Hamilton Over Monaco GP Confusion

McLaren’s team boss Andrea Stella has openly questioned whether Lewis Hamilton could have finished higher than fifth at the recent Monaco Grand Prix. The race, held on May 25 at the famed street circuit, introduced a new rule requiring all drivers to make two pit stops. For more details on this change, see the new pit stop rule.

While overtaking remains rare at Monaco, race strategy played a huge role in the final standings this year. Hamilton finished behind Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen, but Stella believes the seven-time world champion may have missed an opportunity to move up the order.

During the late stages, Max Verstappen stayed out longer than most rivals, hoping for a late safety car to help his two-stop plan. Instead, he was forced to pit on the penultimate lap and dropped from first to fourth, the same spot he started.

Stella pointed out that Hamilton, who was in fifth and enjoying clear air during this phase, was in a good position to challenge Verstappen when he pitted. Stella admitted he was unsure if Hamilton had any major problems, but suggested that with his race position, Hamilton was the one who could have benefited from Red Bull’s unusual tactic.

Stella explained that for McLaren, attempting Red Bull’s strategy would have left them a pit stop down and unlikely to succeed, especially while fighting for the race win with Norris and a podium for Piastri. “For us, that strategy didn’t fit,” Stella said, reflecting that for teams at the front, copying Red Bull might not have made sense.

He also stated that reviewing all race data is necessary to get the full picture of what each team attempted during the event. Hamilton’s radio messages after the race revealed some confusion about the situation on track.

He asked his engineer whether he was a minute behind the leaders and was later told the gap was roughly 48 seconds. This uncertainty apparently led to Hamilton pushing harder on his tires, trying to catch up, which might have influenced his final result. The race’s key moments and surprises are summarized in this quick takeaways article.

Despite these communication gaps and starting from seventh, Hamilton managed to climb to fifth, building on his recent form after a fourth-place result at Imola. The driver and team standings now show Oscar Piastri leading with 161 points, closely chased by Norris with 158.

Verstappen sits in third at 136, with Hamilton holding 63 points for Ferrari. The team championship has McLaren in front at 319 points, Mercedes second with 147, and Red Bull right behind at 143.

McLaren’s strong performance, combined with strategic risk-taking and sharp execution, keeps them ahead as the season continues. Next up, the F1 calendar heads to Spain, with the Circuit de Catalunya race set for June 1.

Following that, teams and drivers will prepare for Canada and Austria later in June and the British Grand Prix in early July. As strategies and regulations continue to evolve, teams like McLaren and Ferrari are reviewing every detail to find advantages in close battles for points.

The season’s intensity is not only on the track but also in the decisions being made from the pit wall. As rivals analyze Monaco and prepare for new challenges, every decision, communication, and strategy will be under the microscope ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.