Michael Lamonato

Melbourne

🗣️ #F1 and motorsport writer, podcaster and general loudmouth. 📝 @Fox_Motorsport | @RACERmag 🎧 @PitPassF1_pod | @BoxOfNeutrals | #PitPassF1

Articles

Piastri leads McLaren 1-2 in Spain as Verstappen has a meltdown

6 days ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Oscar Piastri beat McLaren teammate Lando Norris to victory in a frenetic late finish to the Spanish Grand Prix that saw podium contender Max Verstappen demoted to 10th for crashing into George Russell. While Piastri controlled the race, Verstappen played a spoiling role throughout, testing McLaren’s pit wall on strategy with a three-stop strategy that came close to disrupting what should have been a comfortable one-two finish.
Piastri, McLaren dominate Spanish GP qualifying

1 week ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Oscar Piastri led a McLaren front-row lockout ahead of teammate Lando Norris for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix after dominating qualifying in Barcelona. Piastri controlled the grid-setting hour from the beginning, topping Q1 and Q2 on his way to pole position, but Norris threatened an upset after the first runs of Q3 by pinching top spot by just 0.017s.
Piastri ominously quick in final Spanish GP practice

1 week ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Oscar Piastri laid down the gauntlet ahead of qualifying with a dominant single-lap performance in the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix. Piastri set the fastest time of the weekend so far with a lap clocking in at 1m12.387s, setting purple times in all three sectors, to easily take top spot. Teammate Lando Norris was second but 0.526s off the pace, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was the best non-McLaren driver of the hour and a whopping 0.743s adrift.
Piastri back in control in second Spanish Grand Prix practice

1 week ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

McLaren's Oscar Piastri ended Friday practice at the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of the closely matched Mercedes and Red Bull Racing cars. Piastri bounced back emphatically from his lackluster FP1 showing to lower the benchmark to 1m12.760s, his McLaren poised and under control despite track temperatures spiking above 110 degrees F.
Norris dominates first Spanish GP practice

1 week ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Lando Norris has opened the Spanish Grand Prix weekend with a comfortable advantage at the top of the time sheet in FP1. On the warm Barcelona afternoon, with track temperatures peaking at a sizzling 122 degrees F, Norris used a fresh set of soft tires to rocket to top spot with a time of 1m14.085s, which at that moment comprised three purple sectors.
Norris holds off Leclerc for Monaco GP win

1 week ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Lando Norris claimed his first career Monaco Grand Prix victory after a controlled drive from pole position to fend off Charles Leclerc. Norris got a strong launch from the top of the grid, but Leclerc, starting second, had the better second phase and began drawing alongside the McLaren as they approached the first braking zone.
Norris bests Leclerc for Monaco GP pole

2 weeks ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

ShareThis is disabled until you accept Social Networking cookies. By Michael Lamonato - May 24, 2025, 3:40 PM UTCLando Norris will start the Monaco Grand Prix from pole position ahead of 2024 winner Charles Leclerc in a thrilling conclusion to a tense qualifying session in Monte Carlo. Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri emerged as the early favorites after provisionally locking out the front row with their first laps, the two split by just 0.067s but with almost 0.2s to the rest of the field.
Leclerc sweeps Monaco practice after late Hamilton crash in FP3

2 weeks ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

ShareThis is disabled until you accept Social Networking cookies. By Michael Lamonato - May 24, 2025, 11:53 AM UTCCharles Leclerc has swept all three practice sessions after topping an intriguing FP3 at the Monaco Grand Prix truncated by a Lewis Hamilton crash with two minutes remaining. Hamilton’s session came to a slightly premature end with a tank slapper at Massenet, at the top of the hill.
Leclerc sweeps Friday in Monaco ahead of Piastri

2 weeks ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Charles Leclerc beat Oscar Piastri to top spot in second practice at the Monaco Grand Prix to double down on Ferrari’s unexpected early advantage in Monte Carlo. Leclerc spent most of the hour-long session at the top of the order, first on the hard tire and later on the softs, setting the benchmark at 1m11.355s just after the 35-minute mark.
Leclerc collides with Stroll, then tops first Monaco practice

2 weeks ago | racer.com | Michael Lamonato

Charles Leclerc’s home weekend in Monaco got off to an imperfect start that still ended happily, with the 2024 Monte Carlo winner topping first practice in the principality. Leclerc, a three-time Monaco pole-getter, set the benchmark for the weekend’s first timed session at 1m11.964s.It put him 0.163s ahead of Max Verstappen, who improved a set on of worn softs in the final moments to move into second place in the classification.