Friday’s Practice Sessions in Monaco GP: A Battle for Dominance
The streets of Monaco echoed with the roar of high-performance engines as drivers battled it out in the second practice session of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, last year’s winner, clinched the top spot, edging out Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.038 seconds. Lewis Hamilton ensured both Ferraris secured a place among the top three.
Early Leaders and Unexpected Incidents
The early running was led by Piastri and his teammate Lando Norris, but Max Verstappen soon took over. However, less than 10 minutes into the session, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar clipped the barriers at the Nouvelle Chicane, causing a red flag. Hadjar managed to return to the pits under the red flag, albeit with a punctured left-rear tyre and a fuming driver behind the wheel.
As the session resumed, Piastri maintained his lead, but his run was cut short when he went straight into the tyre wall at Turn 1’s Ste Devote. After brief repairs, Piastri continued, finishing just 0.038 seconds behind Leclerc.
The Race for Pole Position
With the track going green once more, Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, and Hamilton traded the lead on hard Pirelli rubber before the soft-tyre qualifying simulations started coming in. Leclerc upped his pace significantly, setting the session’s fastest lap times, ultimately finishing with a time of 1m11.355s.
Piastri’s challenge fell short, but he managed to recover and finish second. Hamilton followed closely behind in third, with Norris in fourth, three tenths in arrears. A surprise duo from Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson and Hadjar, recovered well after their early off-track excursions, finishing fifth and sixth respectively.
Alonso put up a solid showing for Aston Martin, with Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen rounding out the top 10. Verstappen narrowly headed teammate Yuki Tsunoda after a typically low-key Friday for Red Bull.
Incidents and Penalties
Haas driver Oliver Bearman was summoned by the FIA race stewards for allegedly not complying with the second red flag. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend continues on Saturday, with third practice at 12:30 local time, followed by the crucial qualifying session at 16:00.
Verstappen expressed his frustration with the slow traffic around the swimming pool section, labeling it “so dangerous”. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend promises to be an exciting one, with all eyes on Leclerc as he seeks to defend his title.
