Leclerc fastest in FP1 despite clash with Stroll

Charles Leclerc has led the way in first free practice at F1’s Monaco Grand Prix, despite a late challenge from world champion Max Verstappen, after the Ferrari driver clashed with Lance Stroll earlier in the session.

Leclerc set a 1m11.964s around the halfway mark that held until the end as Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris filled the top three, with Williams and Mercedes also looking competitive.

The opening practice session was red flagged after nine minutes for contact between Leclerc and Stroll at the hairpin. Stroll slowly crossed onto the racing line as Leclerc approached at full speed, with the Ferrari slamming into the back of the Canadian’s Aston Martin.

On the team radio Stroll said he hadn’t heard his race engineer’s message about Leclerc approaching. As the session was red flagged Leclerc headed in for a new front wing, while Aston Martin announced Stroll’s session was over due to rear suspension damage and a gearbox change. Stroll and Leclerc were summoned to the stewards to explain the incident.

After the red flag Lewis Hamilton led the early running on mediums before Oscar Piastri and Norris upped the pace on softs, Norris leading his team-mate with a 1m13.615s. On hard tyres Verstappen took third within four tenths as all three Pirelli tyre compounds were tested across the grid, as the mandatory use of three tyre sets in the race is set to spice up the action.

After 20 minutes the McLarens upped the pace once more, this time Piastri leading his team-mate by 0.005s with a 1m13.031s. Hamilton and Norris cycled through to the lead before Leclerc set a benchmark 1m11.964s despite complaining of balance problems, suggesting Monaco may not be as bleak for Ferrari as perhaps feared. Leclerc led Norris, Piastri, the Williams of Carlos Sainz, and Hamilton into the final runs of the one-hour session.

The last two salvos of flying laps saw Sainz and Norris go straight on at Turn 1’s Ste Devote, while Racing Bulls man Isack Hadjar brushed the wall at the swimming pool section.

Hamilton suffered a near crash heading up towards the Casino as traffic languished in the middle of the unsighted climb, and the seven-time world champion later straight-lined the second swimming pool chicane as he hit traffic once more around the principality’s narrow streets.

Red Bull had been having a low-key session, largely on hard tyres, before Verstappen entered the fray on softs in the final quarter. The world champion’s first flyer was only good for seventh, but he then improved to second place 0.286s behind. His third and final attempt saw the Dutchman just 0.163s behind Leclerc, whose mid-session benchmark would remain untouched.

Norris finished the session in third ahead of the Williams of Alex Albon, with Piastri and Mercedes’ George Russell in fifth and sixth. Sainz was seventh, followed by Gasly and Hamilton as Aston’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.

F1 Monaco GP – FP1 results