Monaco Grand Prix – Qualifying: Charles Leclerc on pole ahead of Piastri and Sainz

Q1:

Five minutes before the start of the qualifying session, the Mercedes drivers and some others are already waiting in the pit lane. In Monaco, managing traffic is of crucial importance. Hamilton and Russell are the first to go out. It’s the Haas drivers who quickly take the top two positions, with Hülkenberg ahead of Magnussen. The times keep dropping, however, Charles Leclerc seems to be struggling, far from the times of Piastri and Verstappen leading the session halfway. The Monegasque is in twelfth position with six minutes to go on the clock. He sets off for a quick lap and takes the lead, with nearly two tenths ahead of Magnussen. The Haas drivers are making a strong impression.

Three minutes before the end of Q1, all the drivers go back on track: no one is safe. Russell takes the lead in the session. Verstappen is currently in third place. Perez is struggling, the Mexican is only 14th and risks elimination. Norris, in 18th place, has no room for error in his final attempt: he climbs back to ninth place. Alonso also misses out at the very end of the session, the Spaniard will stop in Q1 for this Grand Prix qualifying session.

Big thunderclap in this session, Perez misses his last lap: he is eliminated by only finishing eighteenth! The setback is terrible for the Mexican driver.

The list of eliminated: Alonso (16th), Sargeant (17th), Perez (18th), Bottas (19th), and Zhou (20th)

Q2:

No margin for the first round of this second qualifying session. Sainz sets the fastest time ahead of Verstappen and Tsunoda. Leclerc does not show the same level as he did in the last practice session.

Hamilton starts in staggered formation, after two laps of tire preparation. Only eighth fastest time for the seven-time world champion. At the same time, Verstappen takes the lead. Leclerc remains in the background.

At half-time, Ocon and Gasly are provisionally fourth and sixth. A reassuring performance for the two French drivers. In the meantime, it’s Piastri who sets the best time with a significant improvement, ahead of Russell. Leclerc bounces back and places second, sixty-nine milliseconds behind the Australian.

There are three minutes left, it’s time to give everything to make it into Q3. Norris grabs the first place ahead of Piastri, by only twenty-four milliseconds. Positions are tight and everyone is on the edge. Gasly posts a fifth time out of nowhere. The times are extremely close. All the favorites for the pole position make it to Q3. Disappointment for Ocon, eliminated in eleventh position, while his teammate makes it to Q3 in fifth place.

The list of eliminated: Ocon (11), Hülkenberg (12), Ricciardo (13), Stroll (14) and Magnussen (15)

Q3:

This is the fateful moment: who will secure pole position for the crucial Monaco Grand Prix.

Leclerc sets the fastest provisional time by twenty-six thousandths, ahead of Piastri, Sainz, and Norris. But watch out, Verstappen is coming: he takes the third time, you might say. It is indeed Leclerc who holds the provisional pole position. Each driver has one lap remaining. The one where they will be at the limit, more than ever.

There are a little over three minutes left. Everyone is setting off for their final lap. Hamilton is ahead of Leclerc’s time! Russell too. Nothing is certain, the tension is palpable. Leclerc is also improving his first sector. Everyone is pushing to the extreme limit.

Russell achieves the third best time. Piastri and Leclerc are on the same pace. At the same time, Verstappen hits the wall in the first corner.

With a final crazy sector, Leclerc takes pole position at home, ahead of Piastri and Sainz. What a lap from the Monegasque, without any mistakes. Impressive. Verstappen, following his mistake, only qualifies sixth on the grid. What a qualifying and what a lap from Leclerc.

The ranking of the qualification: