Ferrari to scream at Monte Carlo, Leclerc and Hamilton ahead of everyone

Ferrari opens the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in the best possible way, signing a one-two in the first free practice session. Ahead of everyone is the home favorite Charles Leclerc who, despite some smearing in the early and late stages of the session, places the best reference in 1’13″978 in the final time attack. Behind him, detached by 226 thousandths, was teammate Lewis Hamilton in the other SF-26.

Third position for Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, 513 thousandths away from the top, followed by the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli (+0.559) and George Russell, who lagged more than a second behind the leader. The session was neutralized for about ten minutes midway through due to a red flag caused by Isack Hadjar’s accident. The French-Algerian driver lost control of his single-seater at the exit of the second S esse of the Pools, ending up against the barriers and sustaining damage to the car. For him, at the end of FP1, the thirteenth time.

Behind the top teams find space in the top ten Lando Norris, best of the McLarens, Nico Hülkenberg with the Audi, Oscar Piastri with the second Woking single-seater, Gabriel Bortoleto who also brings the other Audi in the noble zones of the ranking and Pierre Gasly, always particularly competitive in his home event. Further behind is Alpine’s teammate Franco Colapinto, fifteenth.

Good signs also from Williams, with Alexander Albon eleventh and Carlos Sainz twelfth, just outside the top ten. In Cadillac, Sergio Perez finishes fourteenth and is well ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas, only twenty-first. Similar situation in Haas, with Oliver Bearman sixteenth ahead of Esteban Ocon, and in Racing Bulls, where rookie Arvid Lindblad finishes eighteenth ahead of Liam Lawson, both struggling with hairpin difficulties.

In the rear, however, Aston Martin’s difficulties continue: Fernando Alonso does not go beyond twentieth place, while Lance Stroll closes the rankings in last position.