Monaco GP - Free Practice

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Monaco GP

Free Practice 1

May 24, 2024

Lewis Hamilton set the pace during the first practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri just preventing Mercedes from securing the top two spots on the leaderboard.

Despite expressing doubts about his chances earlier, Hamilton, the most accomplished driver in Formula One history and a three-time winner at Monaco, clocked the fastest lap with a time of 1:12.169 on the soft compound tires.

Piastri, also using the soft tires, was only 0.029 seconds slower than Hamilton. Mercedes’ George Russell was the third quickest, while McLaren’s Lando Norris finished the session in fourth.

Max Verstappen, the current leader in the championship standings from Red Bull, had a few close calls with the track barriers and ended up 11th, 0.815 seconds off Hamilton's leading time, without completing a fast lap on the soft tires.

"The car is so loose on the bumps. Any interaction with engine braking or brake bias, it's just

making it all worse," Verstappen said over the team radio.

Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Pérez, encountered a tire puncture and finished 12th.

Local favorite Charles Leclerc, still seeking his first podium finish at his home race and currently second in the championship, was fifth fastest for Ferrari. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso came in sixth, just ahead of his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll.

Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, both from RB, secured eighth and ninth positions, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10.

The session was interrupted by red flags with 15 minutes remaining when Sauber's Guanyu Zhou made contact with a tire wall, causing debris to scatter across the track. Leclerc drove over some of it, resulting in damage to his Ferrari.

Verstappen, who has won five of the seven races so far this season, leads Leclerc by 48 points in the standings.

The Dutch driver, who took victory in Monaco last year, has also achieved pole position in a record-equaling eight consecutive races, seven of which have been this season.

The qualifying session on Saturday is expected to provide more excitement than the race itself, which is often determined by the starting grid positions due to the difficulty of overtaking on the tight streets of Monaco.

Free Practice 2

May 24, 2024

Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap during the second practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday, boosting hopes for his first podium finish at his home race.

The Ferrari driver, a native of Monaco who has previously started from pole position here twice without achieving a podium finish, showcased his speed with a best lap time of 1:11.278 on soft tires.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and now a Monaco resident, surprisingly led the first practice with a lap of 1:12.169 and finished second in the second session, just 0.188 seconds behind Leclerc.

Monaco has not seen a local driver win since Louis Chiron claimed victory in 1931 driving a Bugatti, a feat commemorated by a bust of Chiron overlooking the swimming pool section of the circuit.

The Monaco Grand Prix, known for its rich history and glamour but also its lack of overtaking opportunities, is the slowest race on the Formula One calendar. Therefore, Saturday's qualifying session will be crucial for securing a good starting position.

Mercedes showed strong form in the first session, with Oscar Piastri of McLaren placing himself between Hamilton and George Russell.

Hamilton, the most successful driver in the sport's history but without a victory since 2021, had earlier downplayed his chances of reaching the podium.

Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, a former winner in Monaco, was third fastest in the second session, ahead of Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz coming in sixth.

Verstappen, who has won five out of the seven races this season and started all from pole, faced a challenging day, finishing 11th in the first practice after multiple near-misses with the track barriers.

"The car is so loose on the bumps. Any interaction with engine braking or brake bias, it's just making it all worse," Verstappen complained over the radio.

He brushed against the wall again during the second practice at Portier, expressing continued frustration with the car's handling.

"I'm jumping like a kangaroo, man! I'm getting headaches. It's crazy," he remarked.

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez had a puncture during the first practice and finished 12th, continuing to struggle in the second session where he ended up eighth. "The ride is horrendous," commented Perez.

In the first practice, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo of RB finished eighth and ninth, respectively, but both fell back in the second session, with Williams' Alex Albon taking ninth and Russell finishing 10th.

The first session was halted with 15 minutes left when Guanyu Zhou of Sauber hit the tire wall, leaving debris on the track. Leclerc ran over some of it, causing damage to his Ferrari.

Verstappen currently leads the championship by 48 points over Leclerc, having won five of the seven races this season.

The Dutch driver, who won in Monaco last year, has started from pole position for a record-equaling eight consecutive races.

Free Practice 3

May 25, 2024

Charles Leclerc solidified his position as the frontrunner for pole position in his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix, by setting the fastest lap in the final practice session ahead of Saturday's critical qualifying rounds.

The Ferrari driver, who has yet to achieve a podium finish in Monaco despite securing pole position twice in the past, recorded a top lap time of 1:11.369, narrowly beating Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen by 0.197 seconds.

Leclerc also dominated Friday's practice sessions, whereas Verstappen struggled with his car's handling on Monaco's uneven streets—a problem that seemed to have been partially resolved overnight. However, Verstappen mentioned he was pushing his car to its limits.

"It's something I didn't expect, but it's definitely at the higher end of the worst possible outcome of the weekend so far and it's very difficult," Verstappen reflected on his difficulties from Friday.

Verstappen is aiming for his ninth consecutive pole position and eighth of this season as he navigates the tight and winding city track.

Securing pole is particularly important in Monaco, where the narrow circuit makes overtaking notoriously difficult, often leading the driver who starts first on Saturday to win on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion and three-time Monaco victor, was third fastest for Mercedes, following his strong performances in Friday's practice sessions.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren secured the fourth spot in Saturday's practice, with Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in fifth, though Perez was dissatisfied with the car’s performance, describing it as "nowhere."

George Russell of Mercedes finished sixth, followed by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in seventh,

and McLaren's Lando Norris in eighth.

Yuki Tsunoda from RB continued to show his impressive recent form by setting the ninth quickest lap, while Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin rounded out the top ten.

An early incident caused a red flag when Valtteri Bottas of Sauber collided with the tire wall at the swimming pool chicane, causing a blockage at the Rascasse corner.

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