The most iconic race on the Formula 1 calendar is set to take place this weekend from the picturesque streets of Monaco.
With no shortage of glitz and glamour off the track, it is the premiere event for those who want to be seen amongst the best of the best.
However the weekend might offer more entertainment celebrity spotting during the pre-race gridwalk with the Monaco circuit falling victim to the technological advancements of the sport.
As the cars have grown over the years, overtaking on the narrow streets has become borderline impossible with few opportunities for the drivers to showcase their skills in a racing setting.
Instead diverting all their attention to not clipping the walls and causing millions of dollars damage from one minor mistake.
To try and remedy the snoozefest of 2024, the FIA have made a couple of changes for this event with each team forced into two mandatory pit stops and the debut of a new super-soft tyre compound to try and bring even more strategy into play.
Unfortunately, most teams will run the simulations and likely draw the same conclusions about when it is best to stop.
But we have run our numbers, forecast the qualifying times and come up with our best bets for the 2025 Monaco F1 Grand Prix.
Track Stats
- Direction: Clockwise
- Lap Distance: 3.337km
- Total Laps: 78
- Race Distance: 260.286km
- Lap Record: 1:12.909 (Lewis Hamilton, MER, 2021)
- 2024 Podium: Charles Leclerc (FER),
- Most Event Wins: Ayrton Senna (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
Race Winner
Even with the rule changes for this race, pole position will be without a doubt the most important factor in determining the winner this weekend.
Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen have split the last six poles with Lando Norris earning top spot in Melbourne.
Monaco is one of the few tracks where the Dutchman has struggled by his standards, with just two wins in 2021 and 2023 on his resume.
Last year he had to settle for a miserable sixth place here, but he looked like his old self storming to victory last weekend.
Qualifying will be incredibly important but if Verstappen can get on the front row of the grid, he should be able to get the jump on the McLarens and win the race.
Max Verstappen to Win @ $3.50
Podium Finish
Better late than never, Ferrari finally showed some signs of life in Italy as Lewis Hamilton recorded his best finish in fourth and Leclerc came in sixth.
The local boy will no doubt be keen to repeat his impressive win from 12 months ago even if his car just doesn’t have the pace to match the top two teams.
However a podium finish would be a notable improvement and a sign that the prancing horse might just be starting to find its footing in 2025.
Charles Leclerc Podium Finish @ $2.50
Top 6 Finish
While it was frustrating seeing Kimi Antonelli fail to finish the race last week, that performance has put him at over even money for a top six finish and he is definitely worth a play.
He has made it into the top six in five of the seven races to date and should be able to handle the pressure of this race.
The only other driver at plus odds that has a solid track record this season is Alex Albon, whose style does not necessarily mesh with the Monaco track.
His best finish in this race was in his rookie season driving for Torro Rosso when he registered an eighth place finish.
But he and Williams as a whole look revitalised this season and are likely to be in the mix for a top six spot, if they can avoid a crash.
Kimi Antonelli Top 6 @ $2.10
Alex Albon Top 6 @ $2.75
Points Finish
With consecutive points finishes leading into this race and three in his last four Grands Prix, the price on Yuki Tsunoda to add to his points tally does seem a bit high.
Last season he recorded his first top ten finish at Monaco with an eighth place for V-CARB and now driving the more powerful Red Bull, the Japanese driver should be in the mix here.
As should rookie Isack Hadjar who has been arguably the most impressive of the debutants not named Kimi Antonelli.
He has three points finishes in his last five races and if he can steer his way through the inevitable chaos that is set to unfold, he should add more points to his tally again.
Yuki Tsunoda Points Finish @ $2.50
Isack Hadjar Points Finish @ $2.75
Driver Match Bets
For some reason Alex Albon is the underdog in this head to head market between the Williams drivers.
This is despite Albon outperforming Ocon in the last three races and five of the seven to date.
One of the easier choices of the weekend.
Alex Albon to beat Carlos Sainz @ $1.95
Number of Classified Drivers
Crashes and mechanical issues might be the only way the starting grid order changes throughout the race.
On the narrow street circuit there is usually one or two incidents with the last four races here featuring some sort of collision that ends the day of one car.
There were two retirements in both 2021 and 2023, while 2022 saw a trio of early exits.
Last season we had four cars retire, three of which were off a first lap crash.
The hope is that the new rules will force the drivers to push it through the corners a little bit more, needing to run the extra set of tyres and that could also result in a few more nervous moments for the teams.
Under 17.5 Finishers @ $2.15
Monaco Grand Prix Same Game Multi
Piastri and Verstappen Podium, Leclerc and Antonelli Top 6, Tsunoda Points @ $22.19