Jacques Villeneuve makes Lando Norris comment after overcoming McLaren ‘problem’ at the Monaco Grand Prix

McLaren driver Lando Norris last started on pole position at the opening race of the 2025 Formula 1 season in Australia.

He’ll be hoping that he can repeat what happened in Melbourne at the Monaco Grand Prix when he took the fastest lap and his only victory of the campaign.

McLaren have been the dominant force on the grid in 2025, but Monaco didn’t look like one of their strongest tracks during practice.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were beaten by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in all three practice sessions, and last year’s winner looked rapid during Saturday’s qualifying session too.

But when it mattered, Norris hooked up the fastest lap in the principality’s 75-year history of hosting a Formula 1 race, becoming the first driver to break the 70-second barrier.

Piastri has made Norris’ life more difficult this season after building up a 13-point lead in the drivers’ championship.

However, 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve was very impressed with the British driver during qualifying.

Villeneuve was critical of Norris in Imola after making too many mistakes but was delighted to see that he had overcome one ‘problem’ in Monaco that had hampered his championship challenge.

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Jacques Villeneuve lauds Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar after Monaco Grand Prix qualifying

The Canadian was speaking on Instagram after the session and said: “Monaco qualifying kept its promise, it was exciting! Seeing these drivers on the edge, so fast, through the guard rails, so much adrenaline, so much excitement.

“And Ferrari was so impressive this weekend, quick the whole weekend, the car seems easy to drive, compliant, allowing the drivers to push to its limit.

“A great lap from Leclerc at the end but pipped by Norris at the end with old tyres, tyres that had already done one lap.

“He did finally what it took in Q3 which has been his problem this year, and he did it on the most important race of the season, [the] most important qualifying, starting on pole in Monaco. That will be fun to watch.

“Mercedes, how disappointing with a crash from Antonelli and a mechanical failure for Russell and with the new tyre regulations, two obligatory pit stops, they might as well pit on the first lap and take a gamble! That will be interesting to watch.

“And Hadjar, very impressive as well, starting in sixth [later promoted to fifth] in Monaco for his first time here, that will be good to watch!”

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

Lando Norris could put a significant dent in Oscar Piastri’s F1 championship lead in Monaco

Norris needs to win the Monaco Grand Prix and hope Piastri finishes fifth or worse if he wants to lead the drivers’ championship into next week’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Given how hard it is for drivers to overtake on the streets of the principality, that initially looks very unlikely.

However, the mandatory two pit stops each driver needs to do on Sunday adds an extra layer of jeopardy, and if McLaren mistime one of Piastri’s stops, he could easily slip down the rankings.

Norris has already overcome a problem Ralf Schumacher identified ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, with doubts emerging about his title credentials among some pundits.

He’ll be desperate to prove them wrong in Sunday’s race and add another victory to his growing collection.