F1 Today | Multiple fines given, Verstappen takes a jab at Russell, Kardashian appears at Ferrari

George Russell was left baffled after qualifying sixth for the Monaco Grand Prix, unable to understand his current form. While his teammate and title rival, Kimi Antonelli, snatched pole from Max Verstappen on his final attempt, Russell told Sky Sports that the start of the year was “easy,” always in P1 or P2 in every session, but in the last three races he has “been nowhere.” He noted that in Canada he managed decent laps by “pulling something special out of the hat” and with a bit of “luck.”

Russell explained that this year’s car changes don’t suit his driving style the way last year’s did, whereas Antonelli’s style fits “perfectly.” He admitted he needs to adapt, although he doesn’t understand why the start of the season was so straightforward. With Antonelli starting from pole and a 43-point gap between them in the championship, Russell faces a tough task in Monaco to cut the deficit.

Meanwhile, Williams received a formal warning and a €5,000 fine after an incident in Monaco GP qualifying in which Alex Albon’s car blocked Arvid Lindblad while attempting to enter his pit box. Carlos Sainz was already stopped in front of the Williams garage, forcing Albon to go around him and, in doing so, briefly blocking Lindblad’s access and nearly running over the foot of a mechanic attending to Albon’s car. The FIA cited a violation of Article B4.1.1 of the F1 Regulations and Article 12.2.1.h of the International Sporting Code. Williams admitted it could have handled the situation differently; therefore, a warning was issued and, due to the potential safety issue, a fine was imposed.

Nico Hulkenberg also received a warning for driving slowly in the tunnel, in violation of Article 12.2.1.i of the International Sporting Code. His team incorrectly informed him that there were no cars behind, which led to the team receiving a warning.

Charles Leclerc will start fourth behind Hamilton after struggling with the brakes and brushing the wall in qualifying. Leclerc explained that he is not getting a consistent feel from the car, particularly under braking, describing the behaviour as “very inconsistent” and stressing that slipping out of the tyre window makes the car harder to drive.

Leclerc briefly went fastest in Q3 before being surpassed by Max Verstappen and then Kimi Antonelli. He noted that the Monaco lap had no power issues and the attack was full-on, but the car’s behaviour varied from corner to corner, and the difficulty of keeping the tyres in their optimal window has remained an obstacle since the first free practice session.

He tried to respond to Antonelli’s time, but his final lap was cut short after brushing the barriers, leaving him fourth behind Antonelli, Verstappen, and Hamilton.

Kim Kardashian was seen arriving at the Monaco paddock to support Lewis Hamilton ahead of a crucial qualifying session. She appeared with her sister Khloé amid persistent rumours of a relationship with Hamilton, fuelled by recent social media photos, including one of the two riding bicycles. Speculation has been growing for months, with joint appearances in New York after the Miami GP and earlier in Malibu, each new sighting drawing major attention from F1 fans and the entertainment media.

Verstappen made a playful joke about Russell after Monaco qualifying, noting that Antonelli once again outpaced his Mercedes teammate. Antonelli took pole for the Monaco Grand Prix, while Russell qualified sixth, continuing the Italian’s strong form both at Mercedes and in the championship.

Verstappen praised Antonelli, saying he’s doing what he needs to do, and quipped that Russell will be “scratching his head.” Despite Red Bull’s setup concerns and Ferrari being tipped for pole, Verstappen was very competitive, topping Q2 and ultimately qualifying second, just hundredths behind Antonelli. He said he would have signed in advance for a front-row start.

Russell admitted he’s “bamboozled” by his current form, struggling to match Antonelli after starting the season among the strongest and a title favourite. He feels the new car suits his natural driving style less than last year’s and highlighted differences between his approach and Antonelli’s, with the latter seemingly thriving in the current package.