Key events
There’s some afters to discuss after that Q2 incident between Hamilton and Verstappen.
That’s Norris on pole, Leclerc alongside him, Piastri in third, and then Hamilton, with Verstappen in fifth.
The gap – 0.109 seconds. Phew!
Lando Norris takes pole in the final seconds.
Hamilton now, full throttle but shy of the McLarens. Into third. Piastri has gone again, and so has Norris. It’s Leclerc who takes it. Piastri is still out there, and Norris takes pole at the very last. The time 1.09.354 – so quick. Leclerc was in possession for mere seconds. That was Monaco qualifying at its very best.
Piastri slides out of La Rascasse and takes provisional pole. Norris takes it from his teammate by 15 milli-seconds. Incredible. There’s still time to be overtaken or to have another go.
The McLaren pair are going early, to avoid any prangs and red flags that may come in the dying embers. Leclerc sits and waits.
Albon retakes sixth from Alonso. Red Bull are making urgent alterations to the Red Bull. Hamilton in fifth brushed a barrier but no damage.
Alonso climbs a single place to sixth. Now it’s one of Verstappen’s throws. He’s fourth, just 2/10 down on Norris in pole. Small margins.
Norris enters Q3 with pole. Just 10 cars means less traffic. Piastri takes pole, but only for a matter of seconds as Norris retakes it. What can Leclerc find?
“A sudden loss of power,” is the explanation for George Russell’s motor stopping. We’ve all been there.
Esteban Ocon loved that. Giggling away as he’s told he’s in Q3.
Here comes Q3
Just 10 cars left now.
Confirmed departures:
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11. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
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12. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
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13. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
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14. George Russell (Mercedes, no time)
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15. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes, no time)
Alonso – the old stager – into seventh. “Woooh,” he says. He enjoyed that one. Alex Albon (!) goes into third. Piastri has a dig and goes into fourth.
That means Sainz, Tsunoda and Hulkenberg are gone.
Hamilton is back at it, but stays third. It’s Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri. Verstappen makes his Q2 plunge. He’s hammering it and ends up in third as Q3 looms.
Norris and Piastri are sat in the 3-4 positions, Verstappen behind Albon…but Norris goes quickest…. 1.10.540 that’s by 100th of a second from Leclerc.
Back racing, and Leclerc is in the lead. Hamilton, on soft tyres, is throwing the kitchen sink at this. It’s Ferrari 1-2, with Hamilton in second. They were very quick there.
Running repairs on the Lando Norris McLaren are taking place. Alpine are packing up for the day, as are Mercedes. Those still waiting to race are given a 16.44 local time start time.
The Mercedes is wheeled out, they will have to take him round the track. It seems Piastri also nudged a wall. It’s all gone rather Wacky Races.
Russell’s battery goes – Mercedes wipe out
George Russell has stopped. His Merc’s computer has blown. He’s trying to restart it. A terrible weekend for the Mercedes with that Antonelli prang. Another red flag. It’s over. “That’s game over, sorry mate,” says his garage. Russell is gutted.
Leclerc blazes through his endz. He knows where he can afford to slide, La Rascasse et al. He’s soon overtaken by Norris, who’s at 1.10 time now. This is quick.
Q2 goes off
So, the cars again try to cool those tyres and here we go….
There’s a delay while the barriers are investigated. Verstappen and Hamilton had a small altercation. Some very rude words indeed.
Eliminated after Q1.
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16th – Gabriel Bortoleto
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17th – Ollie Bearman
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18th – Pierre Gasly
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19th – Lance Stroll
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20th – Franco Colapinto
Red flag on the play
Antonelli has had a smash in the Mercedes. A small smash, but a smash nonetheless. “I’m sorry, guys,” he tells the Merc garage. That slows proceedings.
Leclerc goes quickest. Gasly climbs from the bottom three. Hamilton needs to fins 3./10 of a second to make the top 10. Hamilton seeks to rase himself to safety. He closes the top 10 by 0.5 of second.
Norris takes it at 1.11 536. Seems like a huge lap already. The bottom five are Gasly, Stroll, Colopinto, Hulkenberg, Hadjar and Lawson.
Stroll has caused am issue with Gasly, cutting across the chicane.
1.13.00 for Leclerc, and that’s pole as it stands but not for long. Max Verstappen is revving up. Norris sets 1.12.439, before Piastri sets a better time and then Hamilton steps up. Verstappen takes the quickest at 1.11. 520.
The marina is full of the hoi polloi, glamour all over the show. It’s a sunny day in Monte Carlo. Albon and Lawson are towards the top of the times as the first sector tips. Hulkenberg posts the top time but here comes Leclerc.
There’s a traffic jam as the cars wait for the green light. It’s all about keeping the tyres cool. The green light goes and the cars set off on the track.
The 71st Monaco GP, here we go for qualifying.
“An exciting session” is what Oscar Piastri is looking forward to. Liam Lawson, demoted by the Red Bulls, was in the top 10 in the Racing Bulls. “I’ve been wanting to do this race for some years now,” says the Kiwi. “It’s all about the quali.”
Grab pole here and you are very likely to win the race on Sunday. Of the last 21 Monaco Grands Prix, only six have been won by drivers from a non-pole position. “We’ll give it everything we have,” says Max Verstappen. “We’re in a better position than where I expected to be.”
Prince Albert is meeting the drivers. Lewis Hamilton is thanking his garage for fixing his Ferrari.
Leclerc has been quickest in every practice session and is looking to secure his second front-row spot in a row in his home town. Maybe it’s easier when you know every turn. Could I grab pole on the Silk Road in Macclesfield? No, probably not, I’m a safe driver. But I know the camber like the back of my hand.
The Hamilton prang saw Lewis hit a tighter line and come a cropper. He was going for it, really flying. There’s little margin for error at Monaco as history tells us.
Preamble
Monte Carlo, the most symbolic and glamorous GP of them all. As a race the tight streets of Monaco mean passing moves are low on success rate so perhaps qualifying is where the real juice is, and the principality sees its best, speediest racing.
The news from practice is that Lewis Hamilton has had a late prang – that will keep the Ferrari mechanics busy. Charles Leclerc was quickest so they may be on the right lines though Max Verstappen looks menacingly in form.
Here’s the final practice times:
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1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:10.953
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2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.280 (medium)
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3. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.294
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4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.445
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5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.563
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6. Alex Albon (Williams) +0.715
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7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) +0.861
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8. Carlos Sainz (Williams) +0.940
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9. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) +0.999
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10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.060
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11. George Russell (Mercedes)
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12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
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13. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
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14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
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15. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
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16. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
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17. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
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18. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
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19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
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20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
Q1 begins at 3pm UK time. Join me.
