McLaren and Lando Norris name big favourite for Monaco GP

Lando Norris and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella are convinced Ferrari head into this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix as the firm favourites for victory.

Following the introduction of new regulations for this season, Mercedes has so far dominated, with George Russell opening the campaign with a win in Australia, followed by team-mate Kimi Antonelli taking the chequered flag in China, Japan, Miami and Canada.

Antonelli holds a 43-point lead over Russell, with Ferrari duo Charles and Lewis Hamilton a further 13 and 16 points adrift, respectively. Mercedes, meanwhile, is 72 points clear of the Scuderia in the constructors' standings.

Yet the nature of the SF-26, in combination with the tight, twisty streets of the Principality, should play into the hands of Ferrari and its drivers.

"Monaco is a very different track," said Norris, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365. "To really wait and see how we're going to be in Barcelona is something I'm excited for.

"Monaco was also a track that was decent to us last year, but honestly, I think the Ferrari will be on pole in Monaco. Their low-speed performance is far better than everyone else.

"But I look forward to Monaco, because it's Monaco. I had success there last year, it was one of my best weekends, most exciting weekends, but in the places where we know we're struggling, it's not something that gives me confidence to say we're going to be incredible, but you never know."

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Stella endorses Norris

Stella feels Ferrari's performance over the previous weekend in Canada highlighted their superiority in certain areas, in particular, through sector one at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a low-speed section with kerbs.

With Ferrari possessing "a competitive chassis in the corners," Stella added: "Normally these features tend to reward at a track like Monaco.

"In addition to that, we saw in Canada the Ferrari lose time in the straights, but you don't have much of that in Monaco. So, I think Lando is right in saying Ferrari, quite possibly, is the favourite car for the pole position in Monaco.

"We can definitely say that at the current level of development, the McLaren is probably best suited for low-speed corners rather than medium and high-speed corners, where we see Ferrari and Mercedes being superior, so this should set us in a good position for Monaco.

"At the same time, in Monaco, there are a few medium to high-speed corners. If you think that Casino is more than 150kph; Tabac is 170, 180; the Swimming Pool [complex] is more than 200, so actually, medium, high-speed performance is important in Monaco.

"But some of the low speed is extremely low speed, and in a way, it is in its own range, like if you think of the slow-speed section in the second sector.

"So, it is one of its own. I definitely see Ferrari as probably the favourite, but McLaren can be competitive, and we may try and repeat the achievement of last year in Monaco."