F1 Monaco GP: 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.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

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

Main Information Additional Data Driver Info Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Driver	#		Chassis	Engine	Laps	Time	Interval	Tyres	km/h
1	C. Leclerc Ferrari	16		Ferrari	Ferrari	33	1'11.964		S	166.933
2	M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing	1		Red Bull	Red Bull	30	+0.163 1'12.127	0.163	S	166.556
3	L. Norris McLaren	4		McLaren	Mercedes	32	+0.326 1'12.290	0.163	S	166.180
4	A. Albon Williams	23		Williams	Mercedes	33	+0.350 1'12.314	0.024	S	166.125
5	O. Piastri McLaren	81		McLaren	Mercedes	28	+0.378 1'12.342	0.028	M	166.061
6	G. Russell Mercedes	63		Mercedes	Mercedes	33	+0.518 1'12.482	0.140	S	165.740
7	C. Sainz Williams	55		Williams	Mercedes	36	+0.570 1'12.534	0.052	S	165.621
8	P. Gasly Alpine	10		Alpine	Renault	29	+0.705 1'12.669	0.135	S	165.313
9	L. Hamilton Ferrari	44		Ferrari	Ferrari	30	+0.726 1'12.690	0.021	S	165.266
10	F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing	14		Aston Martin	Mercedes	28	+0.763 1'12.727	0.037	S	165.182
11	A. Antonelli Mercedes	12		Mercedes	Mercedes	34	+0.801 1'12.765	0.038	S	165.095
12	N. Hulkenberg Sauber	27		Sauber	Ferrari	30	+1.015 1'12.979	0.214	S	164.611
13	I. Hadjar RB	6		RB	Honda	35	+1.223 1'13.187	0.208	M	164.143
14	Y. Tsunoda Red Bull Racing	22		Red Bull	Red Bull	32	+1.268 1'13.232	0.045	S	164.043
15	O. Bearman Haas F1 Team	87		Haas	Ferrari	34	+1.365 1'13.329	0.097	S	163.826
16	E. Ocon Haas F1 Team	31		Haas	Ferrari	31	+1.430 1'13.394	0.065	S	163.680
17	L. Lawson RB	30		RB	Honda	37	+1.465 1'13.429	0.035	M	163.602
18	G. Bortoleto Sauber	5		Sauber	Ferrari	29	+1.506 1'13.470	0.041	S	163.511
19	F. Colapinto Alpine	43		Alpine	Renault	32	+1.856 1'13.820	0.350	S	162.736
20	L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing	18		Aston Martin	Mercedes	4	+3.671 1'15.635	1.815	S	158.831
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