Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are regarded as the leading contenders for victory at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix.
Both drivers are widely expected to compete for the top spot as Ferrari aim to end a winless run dating back to late 2024.
The race, scheduled for Sunday, also puts teenage driver Kimi Antonelli in a position to make history if results fall in his favour.
Leclerc carries home expectations, Ferrari’s ambitions
Leclerc, who recently signed a contract extension to remain with Ferrari, won this event in 2024 and has secured pole position three times in the last five editions.
The Monegasque driver enters the weekend looking to deliver Ferrari’s first victory since Carlos Sainz took the win for the team in Mexico in 2024, a stretch that has lasted more than 18 months.
While Leclerc has faced strong competition this season, team and technical assessments indicate that Ferrari’s car design is better suited to Monaco’s tight, twisty street circuit than in previous years.
Hamilton, a three-time winner in Monaco, including his 2019 triumph during his sixth championship campaign, said that the circuit remains one of his strongest.
“It’s the one track we go to where power is not king. It’s definitely about the car performance and our car could be really strong there,” Hamilton was quoted by AFP as saying.
Antonelli confident in Mercedes’ Monaco package
Meanwhile, Antonelli heads into Monte Carlo as the championship leader, holding a 43-point advantage over team-mate George Russell.
The young star has won four consecutive races, including his first career victory in Montreal two weeks ago, a run of form that has established Mercedes as the team to beat this season.
Antonelli eyes strong result against former mentor
Antonelli, who worked closely with Hamilton at Mercedes, acknowledged the competition is tight but believes his new team has closed the gap.
“I think Ferrari is the team to beat in Monaco. It’s going to be very interesting to see how we do there,” said the 19-year-old.
Antonelli is positioned to break several young-driver records with a strong finish, adding extra narrative weight to his weekend.
YOU MAY ALSO: Tyla and Future to perform ‘Game Time’ at the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony
Qualifying session will likely determine race outcome
Saturday’s qualifying session remains the most critical part of the weekend, as starting position has historically been the single biggest factor in Monaco results.
This season’s regulations, however, have introduced a new variable – an overtake mode that delivers an additional 0.5 megajoules of energy, split equally between the engine and battery.
The system generates short bursts of extra power, enabling overtakes in sections previously considered impassable.
Race engineers report that the mode can significantly change the dynamics.
They explained that even a gap of less than one second is now enough to attempt a move, reducing the historic dominance of grid position while keeping qualifying high stakes.
READ NEXT: F1 news: 2026 Monaco Grand Prix preview and predictions
Elan Castanares 
Angelica N. Hall 
Newsjustnews writers