Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 1: Leclerc hits home hard

Leclerc sets the tone at home. From the first contact with the mythical track of the Principality, Charles Leclerc showed that he intended to shine at home. With a time of 1’11″964, the Monegasque took the best time of this first session ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Ferrari driver managed to get the most out of his soft tires, in a session that was nonetheless very eventful.

Repeated incidents in the streets of Monaco

The session was not easy for the drivers. The first red flag came shortly before the halfway point after contact between Leclerc and Lance Stroll. Struggling in traffic, the Canadian failed to see the Ferrari approaching, causing a collision that damaged the Monegasque’s front wing and the rear suspension of the Aston Martin. Stroll will not return to the track. He is summoned to the stewards at 3 p.m.

A few minutes later, Lewis Hamilton nearly has an accident on the climb after Sainte-Dévote, surprised by two slow cars. Worse, he then touches the barrier at the Swimming Pool, lifts off on the kerb, but manages to bring his car back to the pits. The seven-time world champion narrowly avoids going off track.

Isack Hadjar also slightly taps the rail at the Piscine, while Gabriel Bortoleto hinders a Max Verstappen at full speed. Fortunately, no collision is to be reported in this tense episode.

Tight gaps, Williams lurking

Behind the leading trio of Leclerc-Verstappen-Norris, Alex Albon slides into an impressive fourth place with his Williams, just ahead of Oscar Piastri, the current championship leader. The Thai driver confirms the good progress of the Grove team on this demanding track.

The session also allowed for the initiation of work on long stints: Oscar Piastri, on medium tires, completed several consistent laps despite heavy traffic and a slippery track. Lando Norris, who was temporarily in the lead mid-session with a time of 1’12″290, also seems comfortable in the narrow streets of the Principality.

Next step: FP2 at 5 PM

Join us at 5 p.m. for Free Practice 2, where drivers will have the opportunity to refine their setups and perfect their race pace. The challenge will be to manage the tires, the traffic… and the walls.

The Ranking: