As expected, the Ferraris dominated the first discussions in the Principality, but Max Verstappen is half a second ahead of the two Mercedes, with the second Red Bull caught in a crash.
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The Monaco Grand Prix didn’t take long to live up to its reputation. From Free Practice 1, the Monegasque track trapped its first drivers and caused two red flag interruptions.
The first occurred after Isack Hadjar went off track at Piscine. Under the eyes of Olivier Panis, the last Frenchman to win in the streets of the Principality, the Red Bull driver lost control of his single-seater without even touching the inside barrier, which is usually responsible for many errors in this fast section.
Red flag and lack of grip
This incident concluded a complicated first session for Red Bull Racing. Before his accident, Hadjar had already complained about numerous bounces on his RB22. For his part, Max Verstappen had sent multiple radio messages to request setup changes, going so far as to describe his car as “undriveable”.
The difficulties did not spare the other structure of the Austrian group, Racing Bulls. Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad both reported a lack of rotation in the tightest corners, particularly at the Fairmont hairpin. Lawson himself narrowly avoided disaster by lightly touching the barrier at Piscine, while Lindblad impeded Oscar Piastri at the end of the session while the McLaren driver was on a fast lap.
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While the Austrian teams were looking for solutions, Ferrari confirmed the promises seen in Montreal. On Medium tires, Charles Leclerc set the fastest time of the session ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Leclerc ahead of Hamilton
However, the Monegasque did not have a completely serene session. Several wheel lock-ups and a straight-on at Mirabeau in the final minutes reminded everyone that even the favorites are never completely safe in Monaco. As in the previous edition, Ferrari nevertheless starts the weekend in a strong position, with Verstappen third ahead of the Mercedes.
The session finally ended with a second red flag caused by Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin driver hit the barrier at the exit of the Nouvelle Chicane, leaving several elements of his front wing on the track. After a quick intervention by the marshals to clear the debris, the drivers were able to return to the track for a few final minutes before the end of the session.
This first hour of practice has already confirmed what the entire paddock knew: in Monaco, the slightest mistake is immediately punished. And with a fast Ferrari, struggling Red Bulls, and an always unforgiving track, the rest of the weekend already promises to be lively.
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