Monaco GP Practice: Leclerc Leads Verstappen and Norris in First Session
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace in the first practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix, posting a lap time of 1m 11.964s to finish top of the timesheets. The Monegasque driver, who has been tipped as a potential winner of his home race, was a tenth clear of his nearest rival, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
According to Formula 1’s official website, Leclerc’s team-mate, Carlos Sainz, finished seventh in the session, behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was third fastest. The high-flying Williams of Alex Albon, championship leader Oscar Piastri, and Mercedes’ George Russell completed the top six.
The session was marked by a number of incidents, including an early clash between Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Leclerc. Stroll was forced to abandon his car, and was subsequently slowest in the session. "Drivers and teams will now regroup in the Monte Carlo paddock, dig through the data and ponder set-up changes before returning to action in Free Practice 2," reports from Formula 1.
In terms of rookie performance, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli impressed, setting the fastest time of any rookie driver in 11th position. This was just ahead of Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar, and the other Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda, who was critical of the traffic he encountered during his final runs.
The top 10 finishers in the session were rounded out by the Haas duo of Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon, who were 15th and 16th respectively. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber), F1 returnee Franco Colapinto (Alpine), and Stroll completed the order.
As Formula 1 notes, the session was a relatively trouble-free affair, with the majority of drivers able to complete a significant number of laps without incident. However, with a notoriously tight and twisty circuit, there is still much to be learned, and teams will be working hard to refine their set-ups ahead of the second practice session, which is scheduled to begin at 1700 local time.
In related news, Leclerc’s performance has sparked speculation that he may be in contention for a victory on his home soil. The Monegasque driver has been quoted as saying that he is feeling confident about his chances, although he also acknowledges that the competition is likely to be fierce. As Formula 1 reports, Leclerc will be looking to draw on his experience and the support of the home crowd to push for a strong result.
