Leclerc Shocks Monaco with Blistering FP3 Performance - Qualifying Showdown Looms
Formula 1 aficionados, brace yourselves as Charles Leclerc continues to dominate in his hometown of Monaco. The Ferrari driver outpaced rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton during the third and final practice session, setting the stage for an electrifying qualifying hour. The Monegasque appears poised to defend his territory—and his FP3 speed has certainly reinforced his credentials.
The Heat is On—Literally
Under the blazing Monte Carlo sun, drivers pushed their machines to the limit in the tight and twisty streets of Monaco. With air temperatures rising from warm and overcast to hot and clear, every team was vying to fine-tune their setups ahead of the crucial qualifying session. All eyes were on Max Verstappen and his Red Bull outfit, especially after their rocky start to the weekend, described by the Dutchman as ‘the worst possible’ scenario.
Drama on Lap One
FP3 quickly turned into a frenetic affair, with drivers eager to rack up the laps. Around a quarter of the way into the session, Valtteri Bottas of Kick Sauber brought out the red flags after an unfortunate wall-tap exiting Piscine, causing significant damage to his front-right suspension. This incident forced Lewis Hamilton to take evasive action, leading to a dramatic lock-up at Sainte Devote. Meanwhile, Hamilton wasn’t the only one experiencing issues—drivers like Verstappen, Kevin Magnussen, and Sergio Perez bristled over the radio, frustrated with traffic and slow-moving cars.
Crunch Time
As the drivers swapped their worn tires for fresh soft compounds, the stopwatch became the ultimate judge. Charles Leclerc set the benchmark with an impeccable lap time of 1:11.369, going a couple of tenths faster than Verstappen. The Dutch driver, who had managed to sort out some of his earlier issues, was vocal over the radio about just how much he was pushing his car to the edge. Lewis Hamilton closed out the top three, trailing by another tenth-and-a-half.
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 1:11.369
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull): +0.197s
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): +0.341s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren): +0.532s
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull): +0.554s
Meanwhile, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri held his ground in fourth place, while Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull and George Russell’s Mercedes rounded out the top spots. Carlos Sainz trailed in seventh, a notable gap away from Leclerc. The Ferrari driver must be puzzled, especially after nearly colliding with Russell exiting the tunnel.
Shuffling the Deck
Yuki Tsunoda made his mark with a solid ninth-place finish for RB, with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin and Pierre Gasly’s Alpine trailing behind. The likes of Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Kevin Magnussen struggled to break into the top 10. Notably missing from the upper echelon were drivers like Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant, and Daniel Ricciardo, who found themselves lower down the order. Kick Sauber’s weekend woes continued, with Zhou Guanyu and Bottas bringing up the rear.
Gearing Up for Qualifying
Now, the teams have retreated to their garages, analyzing data and making those last-minute tweaks. All eyes are set on the all-important qualifying session, scheduled to begin at 16:00 local time. Monaco’s tight circuit means a stellar qualifying can make or break your Grand Prix weekend. To keep up with all the developments, don’t miss a beat—head over to the RACE HUB for more thrilling updates.