Monaco 2025, Electric Friday in Free Practice: Ferrari strikes hard, Red Bull struggles, and outsiders shake things up
Monaco, Friday, May 23, The first day of action on the streets of Monte Carlo and already the early signs are emerging… but nothing is set in stone. Friday’s two free practice sessions brought surprises, confirmations, and upsets. Here’s the full breakdown of an intense and unpredictable day.
Ferrari lays its cards on the table
They were expected to play it safe, but instead, they attacked. Ferrari had warned, “This isn’t our kind of track.” Yet Charles Leclerc dominated both sessions with authority, perfectly dialed into Monaco’s slow, technical corners. Right behind him in FP2, Lewis Hamilton delivered an unexpected one-two for the Scuderia. Ferrari clearly went all-in on immediate performance, using aggressive setups and high engine modes. The clear goal: pole position at all costs.
“Forget race pace, let’s focus on pole.” Charles Leclerc
McLaren on the pace, Piastri bounces back
McLaren was on the move. Oscar Piastri nearly wrecked his session in FP2 after a brush with the barrier at Sainte-Dévote. But the young Aussie managed to bring the car back, regroup, and post the second-fastest time of the day. Teammate Lando Norris remains in the mix. The papaya cars are clearly in the fight among the big three: Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull.
Red Bull still searching for the right setup
A mixed day for Red Bull. Max Verstappen started strong in FP1 (P2), but setup changes before FP2 threw the car off balance. The result: only P10, just ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda. The Austrian team is hoping for one of its trademark Saturday comebacks to rejoin the pole battle.
“We pushed the setup too far, and the car became unstable.” Max Verstappen
Racing Bulls steal the spotlight
A standout day for the Racing Bulls with both cars finishing in the top 6 of FP2. Liam Lawson, under pressure this season, finally showed his claws with a strong P5. Despite two brushes with the wall, Isack Hadjar wasn’t far off, slotting just behind his teammate. Encouraging signs, now they need to back it up on Saturday.
“It’s more fun than F2. I found my rhythm again.” Liam Lawson
Mercedes struggling, but not out
A quiet day for the Silver Arrows. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli battled with an unstable car, especially in slow corners. Mercedes isn’t yet at the level of the frontrunners, but as in 2024, they’re hoping for a Saturday rebound.
“Probably our worst Friday of the year, but we’re still hopeful.” George Russell
Tyres: the C6/C5 conundrum
Tyre choice for qualifying remains unclear. The C6 offers peak grip but can be twitchy, while the C5 is more predictable but harder to bring up to temperature. In Monaco, bold calls can pay off. Some teams are even considering starting the race on C6s, banking on an early red flag.
Surprise penalty: Bearman drops down
Ollie Bearman received a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking Sainz under red flags. A costly error that might force Haas to gamble big on Sunday. The American team showed little pace on Friday, it might be time to go all-in.
Alpine trails behind, tough day for Colapinto
Franco Colapinto didn’t shine in his second FP1/FP2 outing. Traffic and interruptions kept him from showing his true pace, and he ended the day far off. A tough outing, but understandable given his limited experience.
“We’re building, step by step.” Franco Colapinto
Friday verdict
Ferrari surprises, McLaren delivers, Red Bull disappoints… but everything is still wide open. Monaco is unforgiving, and the margins are razor-thin. Saturday’s qualifying session could be one of the most dramatic of the season.
Technical Briefing – What You Needed to Know This Friday
Setups & Engine Modes
Ferrari made its intentions clear: aggressive setup, the car slammed low to the ground to maximise grip in tight corners, and a high engine mode from the start of Friday, likely to push the tyres to their limits in preparation for qualifying.
At Red Bull, it was the opposite: setup changes between FP1 and FP2 threw the car out of balance. Verstappen described it as “undriveable,” a clear sign the team missed the mark between stability and responsiveness.
C5 vs C6: The Tyre Dilemma
C6 (ultra-soft): provides peak grip, but is unstable in corners and wears out quickly.
C5 (soft): more stable and predictable, but harder to warm up, especially on a tight out-lap like Monaco.
The result: no obvious answer. The time difference between the two compounds is minimal (0.1 to 0.2s). Teams are still unsure which will be best for Q3.
The Two-Stop Strategy Challenge
With two mandatory pit stops in the race, strategy becomes more complicated:
Medium and hard tyres can last the full race distance if stops are made early, for example, under a safety car.
Some might even gamble on starting the race on the C6, hoping for an early neutralisation.
Don’t miss tomorrow’s qualifying, it’s going to be big!
Fastest Lap per Driver (FP1 or FP2) – Monaco GP 2025
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