Former Formula 1 driver and F1 TV pundit Jolyon Palmer has cast doubt on Mercedes' chances of securing a podium finish at the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix, predicting a spectacular 1-2 finish for Ferrari instead.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast alongside Tom Clarkson and James Hinchcliffe, the former Renault driver offered his predictions for the Monaco campaign ahead of the championship's drivers.
Despite Mercedes dominating the start of the 2026 season, winning every grand prix so far, Palmer believes the unique, narrow streets of Monte Carlo will favour Ferrari.
"I’m going to go quite punchy here," Palmer stated. "I’m going to say Leclerc wins, but I think Hamilton is second. It’s a Ferrari 1-2, and I’m going to say third is Lando [Norris]."
He added: "No Mercedes on the podium. They haven't often gone well in Monaco. They've had dominant years where Red Bull has beaten them. Ferrari has beaten them. You got Seb and Kimi back in the day. They haven't been great in recent years either. I don't think they get on the podium. So that's my top three."
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Anni Graf - Formula 1 via Getty Images
Ferrari heads into the Monaco Grand Prix with a newly announced contract extension for home hero Charles Leclerc, and on the back of Lewis Hamilton's best performance with the Maranello outfit after his second-place finish in Canada.
Mercedes has a strong lead in the constructors' championship after the first five rounds, with 219 points. Ferrari currently sits second with 147 and McLaren is third with 106. In the drivers' championship, Kimi Antonelli leads with 131 points, a 43-point advantage over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell in second with 88 points.
Antonelli became the youngest driver in the history of the series to lead the standings after back-to-back wins in China and Japan, and has since gone on to win in Miami and Canada.
The Monaco Grand Prix weekend kicks off today with the first two practice sessions.
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