Charles Leclerc led Free Practice 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix with a stunning lap, kicking off F1’s iconic street race weekend.
Less than a week after Imola, Formula 1 heads to the French Riviera for the Monaco Grand Prix. FP1 takes place this Friday early afternoon, with drivers set to work hard to find the limit of their cars between the barriers of the Principality.
Race control has issued new guidelines for drivers who cut the harbour chicane after the tunnel and gain a position in the process. They must give the position back immediately on the short straight leading to the Tabac corner, or face penalties.
If the infringing driver returns the position after Turn 12 (Tabac), an investigation will also be launched. Most importantly, if a driver cuts the chicane on a lap before their pit stop and gains a position in the pits, it will be considered an off-track advantage and investigated.
13:11 – Yuki Tsunoda will not have Red Bull’s updates following his heavy crash in Imola, as the team explained: “As our designs evolve and new parts are produced, we will strive to rectify the situation. It is clearly in our best interest to do so.”
13:17 – McLaren brings a new rear wing and revised front suspension, while Ferrari brings the same updated components specifically designed for the circuit.
Red Bull introduces a new rear wing and a modified front suspension as well.
Aston Martin has brought Monaco-specific front and rear wings. Alpine features a Monaco-specific rear wing and revised front suspension.
These parts are also present on the Haas, as teams require specially tuned and designed front suspensions for the winding streets of the Principality, particularly the iconic Fairmont hairpin, formerly known as Loews.
Racing Bulls and Williams are also bringing a rear wing and front suspension, and Sauber has an updated rear wing and specific front brake ducts for cooling. Mercedes has no updates.
13:23 – McLaren announced this week that it will not favour either of its drivers, and Red Bull expressed particular satisfaction with this news ahead of the Monaco GP.
13:26 – As reported yesterday, Alex Wurz is considering a run for FIA president. The Austrian confirmed this in Monaco.
13:30 – The session is underway.
13:32 – Charles Leclerc had a scare at Mirabeau, locking up his wheels but escaping unscathed.
13:34 – Oscar Piastri sets a time of 1:16.954 on soft tyres, while Max Verstappen trails by half a second on hard tyres. Lewis Hamilton goes quicker with a 1:16.865 on medium tyres.
13:36 – Hamilton improves further to 1:14.576.
13:37 – It is more difficult for the other Ferrari. Leclerc hit the barrier and is crawling back with a broken front wing.
13:38 – It was actually Lance Stroll who moved into the path of the Monégasque Ferrari at the Fairmont hairpin, swerving suddenly in front of the SF-25. The Canadian will undoubtedly face scrutiny for this.
13:39 – The red flag is out to clear debris at the hairpin.
13:41 – Debris is scattered across several areas of the track, as the Ferrari shed parts notably after the tunnel. Replays show that Stroll’s Aston Martin also suffered heavy damage, particularly to the carbon fibre components behind the rear suspension.
13:42 – Adrian Newey is present this weekend in Monaco. As usual, the British engineer is in the garage with a notepad in hand.
13:43 – The session will resume at 13:44.
13:47 – George Russell records the second-fastest time, just 0.079 seconds behind Hamilton, while Piastri improves to go top with a 1:13.821. Last year’s pole position was set at 1:10.270 on harder tyres, so we can expect lap times to improve significantly.
13:48 – Lando Norris goes quicker with a 1:13.615.
13:52 – Piastri improves further with a 1:13.031, and Norris slots in just behind. Leclerc is back on track and sets the third-fastest time on soft tyres, while Hamilton is fourth on mediums and Verstappen fifth on hards.
13:53 – Nico Hülkenberg’s provisional sixth place on medium tyres is a surprise, despite a small mistake at Portier.
13:54 – Aston Martin is still working on Lance Stroll’s car, which appears to have sustained significant rear suspension damage.
13:55 – It is officially the end of the session for the Canadian.
13:56 – Hamilton takes the fastest time on medium tyres with a 1:12.846. Norris improves on softs with a 1:12.290. Almost a second has been gained over just two flying laps, and Leclerc moves into third.
13:59 – Leclerc improves and takes fifth place.
14:01 – Carlos Sainz places his Williams in fifth position.
14:03 – The Spaniard went straight on at Sainte Dévote, but without consequence.
14:05 – Norris also made a mistake at Sainte Dévote.
14:07 – Leclerc takes the top time with a 1:11.964.
14:11 – Sainz moves up to fourth, and Alex Albon puts the other Williams in sixth. Both are on soft tyres.
14:12 – Albon improves and takes the fourth-fastest time.
14:14 – Sainz retakes fourth place, and Hamilton was impeded.
14:17 – Norris missed the chicane, as did Hamilton.
14:19 – Verstappen improves on soft tyres and climbs to sixth place.
14:21 – Russell moves up to fourth place, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli is no better than 11th at the moment. Verstappen improves again and climbs to second.
14:24 – Hamilton was disrupted by a car ahead and launched over the yellow kerb at the Swimming Pool. The Ferrari lifted all four wheels off the ground.
14:26 – Verstappen improves and closes to within 0.163 seconds of Leclerc.
14:27 – Albon is in fourth place, splitting the two McLarens.
14:29 – Bortoleto ran straight on at Sainte Dévote, but without incident.
14:30 – That brings Free Practice 1 to a close.
14:31 – Isack Hadjar expressed his amazement at the session: “That was the most eventful FP1 of my life.”
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:11.964 | 33 |
| 02 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:12.127 | 30 |
| 03 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:12.290 | 32 |
| 04 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:12.314 | 33 |
| 05 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:12.342 | 28 |
| 06 | George Russell | Mercedes W16 | 1:12.482 | 33 |
| 07 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:12.534 | 36 |
| 08 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:12.669 | 29 |
| 09 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:12.690 | 30 |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:12.727 | 28 |
| 11 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes W16 | 1:12.765 | 34 |
| 12 | Nico Hülkenberg | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:12.979 | 30 |
| 13 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:13.187 | 35 |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:13.232 | 32 |
| 15 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:13.329 | 34 |
| 16 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:13.394 | 31 |
| 17 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:13.429 | 37 |
| 18 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:13.470 | 29 |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:13.820 | 32 |
| 20 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:15.635 | 4 |
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