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Formula 1
Monaco GP
F1 Monaco GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 & Qualifying
Updates from Saturday's F1 FP3 and qualifying sessions ahead of the Monaco GP.
Fresh from the Spanish GP, the F1 action continues with the Monaco GP.
Max Verstappen is the new Formula 1 world championship leader after winning the Spanish GP, as Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from a dominant lead in the race due to a MGU-H and turbo failure with his Ferrari.
Third and final practice for the Monaco GP gets underway at 12.00pm BST (1.00pm local time) before the all-important qualifying session which starts at 3.00pm BST (4.00pm local time).
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"I've hit the barrier," Tsunoda reports over team radio. It isn't clear what has caused this red flag as Tsunoda made it back into the pits.
TV replays show Tsunoda clipped the barrier at the Nouvelle chicane and he picked up a puncture which leaves a bit of debris on the track. Q1 will restart in two minutes.
It should be said that red flag did look a bit premature but better safe than sorry and no harm done with 2m25s left to go in Q1.
There's a huge queue at pitlane exit, while Ricciardo will be desperate for a clean lap as he dipped into the drop zone in 16th right when the red flag was called.
Green flag
Here we go again for Q1.
Some very slow getaways from pitlane as the drivers try to create a gap between each other. Some of these drivers won't get time to get a lap in.
Strap in, these next few minutes could get messy.
Checkered flag
Hamilton, Bottas, Gasly and Zhou all missed the time to get a lap in - that means Zhou is out and will start the race in last place!
Both McLarens get the laps they needed to make it safely into Q2.
Ocon also bolts into the top 15 with ease and that drops Albon out along with Gasly, Stroll, Latifi and Zhou.
Gasly, who was fifth fastest in FP3, is the biggest loser out of that having lost his chance to get a final lap in by taking the chequered flag first after the red flag.
Out in Q1: P16 Albon, P17 Gasly, P18 Stroll, P19 Latifi and P20 Zhou. Pure rage from both Stroll and Zhou over their team radios and I'm sure the same from the other three Q1 exiteers.
TV replays show Gasly missed the chance to get a last lap in Q1 by about one second. Gutting for the AlphaTauri driver.
Green flag
Anyway, on we go for Q2. 13 drivers out on track, just missing the Alpines - someone go give them a nudge.
Stopwatch
The first Q2 laps see Perez go top with a 1m12.059s, ahead of Sainz and Verstappen.
Leclerc slots into third - just 0.033s splitting the top three. How close do you like it?
Russell runs on at the Nouvelle chicane so effectively loses his first lap. Hamilton's first effort isn't quick either so not a great start to the session for Mercedes.
Second time around the Merc pairs get it together with Hamilton sixth and Russell eighth.
"The rears are too hot," Hamilton says over team radio, and duly goes for a cool down lap, before his next push effort.
Magnussen is 11th and just 0.010s off a Q3 spot behind Vettel in 10th. Those are the margins needed between success and failure in this session.
Hamilton, on his push lap after a cool down, runs on the Nouvelle chicane so that wrecks his lap.
Stopwatch
Leclerc goes fastest with a 1m11.864s, with Perez improving but not by enough with a 1m11.954s.
Leclerc has stopped in the pitlane and is pushed back by the Ferrari mechanics as it appears he missed the weighbridge, but having not gone back to the garage he should be OK.
Hamilton abandons another push lap in Q2 as he overcooks it coming into the Nouvelle chicane again. He's still seventh but a three-tenth margin to the drop zone is a fine margin.
Ricciardo briefly nips into the top 10 but is quickly pushed out again, this time by Tsunoda who goes seventh. Norris meanwhile is fourth fastest.
Last lap time - Russell goes from ninth to sixth as Magnussen nips into 10th to push Ocon provisionally out.
Ocon improves to sixth, as Hamilton moves up to seventh, to shuffle Ricciardo and Magnussen out of the top 10.
Checkered flag
What a final Q2 lap from Vettel! His 1m12.613s puts him into Q3 in eighth place which shoves Tsunoda out.
Out in Q2: P11 Tsunoda, P12 Bottas, P13 Magnussen, P14 Ricciardo and P15 Schumacher.
...and breathe. That's half of the grid order decided, now for the sharp end.
Q3 gets underway in four minutes, so just enough time to get a cuppa.
So, who is your money on? Out of all the Ferrari and Red Bull cars, Verstappen has looked like the outsider, but not by much. It'll be close whatever happens.
Green flag
Off we go for Q3.
Leclerc heads the pack from Hamilton and Russell, as the Alpines hang back again in this session.
Stopwatch
Leclerc sets the benchmark of 1m11.376s which is a very good lap.
Leclerc's lap is so good, he's got 0.225s on nearest challenger Sainz. Perez goes third and Verstappen fourth with their first Q3 laps.
Both Mercs opt for two warm-up laps, as Hamilton slots into sixth and Russell into seventh. Norris is an impressive fifth.
Stopwatch
Alonso goes fifth fastest, ahead of Norris, Hamilton and Russell, with a 1m12.247s which is a tidy lap even if he's over half a second off the top four, who are in a league of their own today.
Vettel in ninth and Ocon in 10th complete the Q3 order as things stand, with all drivers in the pits ahead of the final runs.
So advantage Leclerc, with his rivals needing to find at least a quarter of a second just to get on equal terms. Can they do it?
By: Autosport Staff
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