Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix Kicks Off with Exciting First Practice Session

The first practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix has begun on a thrilling note, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc setting the pace. Despite a late challenge from world champion Max Verstappen, Leclerc managed to maintain his lead throughout the session. Lando Norris of McLaren rounded out the top three, with Williams and Mercedes also showing strong performances.

Incident Between Leclerc and Stroll Red Flags Practice Session

The opening practice session was temporarily halted due to an unfortunate incident involving Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll at the hairpin. Stroll inadvertently crossed onto the racing line as Leclerc approached at high speed, resulting in a collision. Both drivers were summoned to the stewards for further investigation.

After the red flag, Lewis Hamilton led the early running on medium tires. However, Oscar Piastri and Norris picked up the pace on soft tires, with Norris setting a 1m13.615s. Verstappen moved into third position on hard tires, indicating that this grand prix will likely require at least two pit stops.

McLarens Dominate Mid-Session, Leclerc Sets Benchmark Time

The McLarens continued to push the pace after 20 minutes, with Piastri leading Norris by a mere 0.005s at one point. Hamilton and Norris took turns leading before Leclerc set a benchmark time of 1m11.964s, despite complaining about balance issues. This suggests that Monaco may not be as challenging for Ferrari as initially feared.

The final runs of the session saw several drivers make mistakes, including Carlos Sainz and Norris at Turn 1’s Sainte Devote, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar brushing the wall at the swimming pool section, and Hamilton narrowly avoiding a crash due to traffic.

Red Bull’s Verstappen Closes Gap on Leclerc in Final Stretch

Red Bull had a relatively quiet session until Verstappen switched to soft tires in the final quarter. The world champion improved his position from seventh to second, just 0.286s behind Leclerc. His third and final attempt saw him come within 0.163s of Leclerc’s benchmark time, indicating a close fight for the top spot in the remaining practice sessions.

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

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