The Japan Times - Cool Norris, hot rookies, manipulated race: three things we learned from Monaco Grand Prix

A year on from his maiden win in Miami, he revealed a ruthless streak as he sliced through the traffic to win a chaotic and 'manipulated' Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday – and then reacted with calm diffidence.

AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from Sunday's intriguing and chaotic contest, overshadowed by tactics resulting from a new rule requiring two pit-stops.

Cool Norris confirms his credentials

The 25-year-old Briton shed of some of his 'boy next door' charm and displayed a new level of cold focus as he signalled his intent to fight McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri for the title.

After six races without a win and difficulties in qualifying, he took pole and his second victory of the year in a cool, focused style more akin to his laid-back Australian rival who was third despite several errors.

"Lando kept to the high standards, quality of execution and lucidity throughout the weekend," McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said.

"He built from lap one in practice to capitalise with pole position and then, in the race, went through various situations which required cold blood."

"He deserves praise for a very, very well-managed and executed weekend."

Pit-stop rule starts debate

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that he received an apology from rival James Vowles of Williams during the race for ordering his drivers to 'back up' the Mercedes cars in a tactical move that enabled Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz to secure top ten finishes.

Racing Bulls, the sister team of Red Bull, did much the same to finish sixth and eighth, leaving the 'silver arrows' of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in 11th and 18th, an outcome dictated mainly by their poor qualifying.

"He sent me a text in the race: 'I'm sorry'." said Wolff. "I answered 'Yes, we know'."

"He had to do it. You know, it's two cars in the points and it started with the RBs that backed us up."

Vowles made clear he was unhappy.

"It is not the way I want to go racing," he said, a sentiment shared by his drivers.

Albon's slow pace – on a track where overtaking is almost impossible with modern F1 cars – provoked both Russell and Antonelli cut the chicane to avoid him.

"Ultimately, you're driving two or three seconds off the pace that the car can do," said Sainz. "So, you are manipulating the race and the outcome. At Monaco, it's easy to do."

Russell said he would prefer to take a drive-through penalty than hand back his position. Afterwards, he said Albon would pick up the dinner bill.

"In the past, there were huge penalties for manipulating a race," added Sainz. "We are not crashing, but we are driving so slow that it manipulation."

Others were less affected by the rule and less critical.

"Up front, it didn't do anything," said four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who finished fourth after pitting from the lead for the final lap.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who finished fifth having slowed to create a pit-stop 'window' for team-mate Charles Leclerc who was second, said the sport's bosses "need to keep on trying with this one" in a bid to add spice to a normally processional event.

Norris said the circuit was a challenge.

"Overtaking has never been good in Monaco, never. So, I don't know why people have such a high expectation, but I also think F1 should not turn into just a show to entertain people. It's a sport."

Rookies revel

While others fumed, Racing Bulls' rookies Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson enjoyed their career-best results with a "perfectly-executed" strategy built on strong qualifying and then "backing up" to open pit-stop windows for each other.

They finished sixth and eighth.

"A perfect weekend for me," said Frenchman Hadjar, who is rapidly emerging as rookie of the year. "Liam helped me massively. It was great teamwork and I am happy for him to score points."

T.Kobayashi--JT