Grand Prix De Monaco
Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Course: Circuit de Monaco
Course Length: 3.34km
Laps: 78
Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco Preview
Kimi Antonelli picked up his fourth win two weeks ago in Canada after a teammate George Russell retired from the race lead with a battery failure. The victory pushed Antonelli's gap in the championship standings to 43 over his teammate. Perhaps more notable than Antonelli's victory was the stance at Mercedes that the two drivers are free to race one another without team orders interfering. That directive has come with consequences throughout history, and Mercedes will have to manage the intramural battle careful to avoid similar missteps. At Monaco, racing may not be an issue, though. The historic track is the tightest on the calendar and qualifying almost dictates finishing order. The last three races at the circuit have been won by the pole sitter and no driver has won this race starting lower than third since Olivier Panis won an attrition-filled race all the way back in 1996. This is the race every Formula 1 driver dreams of winning, and to do so, they must first maximize qualifying.
Key Stats at Circuit De Monaco
- Races: 74
- Winners from Pole: 32
- Winners from Top 5: 69
- Winners from Top 10: 72
Previous 10 Monaco Grand Prix Winners
2025 - Lando Norris
2024- Charles Leclerc
2023- Max Verstappen
2022- Sergio Perez
2021 - Max Verstappen
2019 - Lewis Hamilton
2018 - Daniel Ricciardo
2017 - Sebastian Vettel
2016 - Lewis Hamilton
2015 - Nico Rosberg
Despite recent rule changes regarding how many types of each tire compound each team must run during the race at Monaco, starting as close to the front as possible is still the biggest factor in determining the race winner. The circuit's initial layout was decided in 1929 and has remained largely unchanged since then while the size and power of the cars racing have changed dramatically. Pit strategy is the primary tool used for overtaking and defensive driving from significantly slower cars can hold up even the fastest in the field. This all combines to make Saturday's qualifying the pivotal session of the weekend. Any mistakes that cost fractions of seconds will be punished with a heavy loss of probability to win on Sunday, but with barriers so close every lap, even worse could be damaged equipment. Drivers need to be inch perfect to earn a top starting position and then continue that perfection each lap for 78 circuits on Sunday to earn the right to hoist the one race trophy every Formula 1 driver dreams of winning.
RotoWire Formula 1 DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Monaco Grand Prix
Based on a $50K Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kimi Antonelli - $13,000
Charles Leclerc - $12,400
Lewis Hamilton - $11,400
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Lando Norris - $10,600
Max Verstappen - $10,000
Oscar Piastri - $9,600
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Isack Hadjar - $6,000
Pierre Gasly - $5,600
Oliver Bearman - $5,400
DraftKings Tier 4 Values
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $4,800
Esteban Ocon - $4,400
Alex Albon - $3,800
DraftKings Constructor Values
Mercedes - $14,500
Ferrari - $13,500
McLaren - $11,700
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco
Captain – Charles Leclerc - $18,600
Oliver Bearman - $5,400
Liam Lawson - $5,000
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $4,800
Esteban Ocon - $4,400
Constructor - McLaren - $11,700
Even though Kimi Antonelli has won the last four races and Mercedes have won all five so far this season, this week it may make sense to take a look at Charles Leclerc and Ferrari. Slow speed corners is where the Ferrari chassis shines, and long straights are where it lags. Monaco has all slow speed corners and no long straights, which could play right into Leclerc's hands. Qualifying will be critical to the outcome of this week's race, and that is another area where Ferrari has shone. Leclerc led all laps from pole in 2024 to win this race and came home second last season. This could be his moment to repeat as winner of his hometown race.
Haas Formula 1 cars are also powered by Ferrari engines, which is why teammates Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon are in this week's lineup. Haas is seventh in the team standings just two points behind Racing Bulls. Bearman has just one series start at Monaco which ended with a 12th-place finish. Ocon has significantly more experience with four top-10 finishes from seven starts. While the team shares the same engine as this week's favorites at Ferrari, chassis compliance and grip will be differentiating factors in the midfield battle. However, with the battle as tight as it is, every advantage will be valuable and Monaco is a place Haas should be able to punch above their weight.
Liam Lawson will be hoping to hold off the Haas challengers. The Racing Bulls driver is just behind Bearman in the points and also has just one prior Monaco start. That race last year earned him an eighth-place finish after qualifying ninth. Again, minor differences between competitors will make the difference this week, and Lawson's ability to maximize qualifying around the tight confines of this track make him a driver that fantasy players would expect to contend for a points finish on Sunday.
Monaco experience could also make for an advantage this week, and that is something Carlos Sainz Jr. brings to the table. Not only has he made 10 prior starts at this historic track, but he finished inside the top 10 in every one of those races. Williams does not have the most competitive equipment this year, but making the most out of what he has at his disposal at this specific track makes Sainz a driver worth going with.
With the driver selections above, this roster still leaves enough room to grab one of the top constructors with McLaren. The defending champions have been closing the gap to the Mercedes team in recent races and their depth of knowledge, resources, and experience will have them toward the front of the field again this week. With a bit of luck in qualifying or superior race strategy, McLaren could be fighting for a victory. Even without those advantages, McLaren should still be aiming for a podium finish from at least one of their drivers if not both.
Formula 1 Betting Picks for the Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 5:00 PM ET Thursday
Race Winner – Charles Leclerc +200
Podium Finish – Lando Norris +125, Max Verstappen +175
Top-10 Finish - Oliver Bearman +185
With Ferrari's slow-corner speed Charles Leclerc should have an advantage this week at Monaco. The question is whether or not he can put that to good use on Saturday to capture pole position for Sunday. If that happens, Leclerc and Ferrari stand a very good chance of winning the race for the second time together. Much will hinge on Leclerc's ability to remain mistake free and extract the most out of the car Saturday, though.
Quirky things can happen within the confines of the Monaco circuit, which is why it is often smart not to ignore some drivers just on the outside of the favorites. With recent upgrades that have improved their cars, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen could be in with a shot at a podium finish. The main hurdle for them to do so is getting a single perfect lap on Saturday. If that can achieve that, which is well within both drivers' grasp, a podium finish on Sunday for either one would not be a stretch. While Mercedes has been the dominant force of the season so far, their strength will be more neutralized this week.
Last year, Oliver Bearman qualified 20th at Monaco but advanced to 12th at the finish. A better qualifying effort this year could boost him even further. With a Ferrari engine helping him, if the team can set up the car to enable Bearman to maximize his speed in Monaco's slow corners, Bearman could be a contender for a top-10 finish. He has four finishes of 11th or better already from the five races run so far this season, which makes this wager one worth taking.
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