Leclerc and Ferrari hit first in Monaco

The Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) has been the fastest driver in the first free practice of the Monaco GP, sixth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, marking the beginning of the European tour of the calendar, with a time of 1:13.978, ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton, 0.226 seconds away, and the four-time world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull), while Carlos Sainz (12th) (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (20th) (Aston Martin) needs to improve.

Local driver Charles Leclerc has led the time table in the first free practice sessions of the Monaco GP. A first position seconded by Lewis Hamilton’s second that shows the great performance of the Ferrari team, which aims to be the team to beat during the weekend. Both have been in the noble part of the time table throughout the day, and have left more than half a second behind the rest of their pursuers.

Behind the red cars was four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who continues to demonstrate that when the hands gain importance with respect to the car, it shines. His Red Bull finished 0.513 seconds behind Leclerc, but in the same tenth of the world leader Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), fourth, and almost half a second ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes, fifth and uncomfortable throughout the session.

Behind, the current world champion Lando Norris (McLaren) was sixth but more than a second off the best time. The ‘papaya’ team will have to look for tenths if they want to be in the fight, since Oscar Piastri finished eighth. And between the two McLarens, Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi, which was the big surprise of the day, with a great performance also from his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, ninth.

As for the Spaniards, the weekend seems more hopeful for Carlos Sainz and his Williams, who for much of the session were within the Top 10. Finally, the Madrid native would achieve the 12th best time, 0.052 seconds behind his teammate Alex Albon (11th). In the case of Fernando Alonso, who had a scare touching the wall in the final stages of Free Practice 1, Aston Martin seems to remain mired in its crisis. Thus, he could only be 20th, 2.7 seconds off the best time.

A session in which the Frenchman Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) caused the only red flag in Free Practice 1 after hitting the wall at the entrance to the pool with 24 minutes left in the session.