Charles Leclerc completed a perfect lap at his home circuit in Monte Carlo to take pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix for Scuderia Ferrari. In a tense and unpredictable qualifying session, Leclerc finished just ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri (second) and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz (third). Max Verstappen struggled in qualifying for the first time this season, finishing sixth for Red Bull. McLaren’s Lando Russell was fourth, with Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton fifth and seventh.
The final and decisive third race in qualifying was a close affair, with just a tenth of a tenth separating the leaders after the second quarter. Leclerc led the opening run with a 1 minute, 10.418 second lap, and although he said he felt something moving around the pedal, he made real progress in the middle section. Piastri was close behind, just two hundredths behind, while Verstappen could only manage third, but only a tenth behind in a chaotic lap. Leclerc had a banker’s victory at the time and Verstappen was under pressure to improve on the final stroke, but with the track reaching the peak of its grip, pole position was still very much up for grabs. The last few stages were crucial, Leclerc was faster, Verstappen hit the wall and his lap had to be aborted, and Piastri was unable to improve, with the crowd celebrating the Monegasque driver’s 1 point A lap time of 10.270 seconds was more than a tenth of a point ahead.
Because the current generation of F1 cars are so wide and so heavy, overtaking in Monaco becomes almost a distant dream and qualifying becomes crucial. The lap test on the narrow streets beneath the principality’s looming walls remains a gripping and intense sporting challenge, often more spectacular than the race itself, and one of the most fascinating Saturday running events of the year.
Perhaps no other qualifying session all season is so important and the drivers know it. Pushing a car to the edge and pushing it to its limits within inches of obstacles is a huge test, and Leclerc accomplished it on Saturday, taking the first race in Monte Carlo with extraordinary momentum. 70th F1 race. The spot is locked in and a real advantage should translate into victory on Sunday, but nothing is a given.
It was Leclerc’s third pole position in Monaco and his first since last year’s pole position in Las Vegas. It’s a race he’s yet to win as he looks to end Leclerc’s Monaco curse. In his previous five home races, he still failed to reach the podium. In 2021, he took pole position, but a collision in qualifying damaged his driveshaft and the car retired before the start of the race. Then in 2022, Ferrari once again started from the front row, only to miss out on the wrong strategy.
He will end that spell on Sunday, becoming the first Monegasque driver to win on home soil since the world championship began in 1950.
It was a shot in the arm for the 26-year-old to secure a 24th career pole position, and Ferrari will be heartened by their strong performance, which saw Verstappen deprived of him for the first time this season. won the championship. He struggled with the car’s handling throughout the weekend, which ended his run of eight consecutive pole positions, which equaled Ayrton Senna’s record.
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Williams Racing’s Alex Albon finished a superb ninth, RB Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda eighth and Alpine Racing’s Pierre Gasly (Pierre Gasly) finished tenth.
Alpine Racing’s Esteban Ocon ranked 11th, Haas Racing’s Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen ranked 12th and 15th, RB Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo ranked 13th, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll ranked 14th.
Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Pérez was fighting for a place in the team for next season but he suffered a shock exit in season one in 18th place. Aston Martin Racing’s Fernando Alonso ranked 16th, Williams Racing’s Logan Sargent ranked 17th, and Sauber Racing’s Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu ranked 19th and 19th respectively. 20 people.
