The first free practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix was interrupted by a red flag after a spectacular off-track excursion by Isack Hadjar in the streets of the Principality.
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The Racing Bulls driver lost control of his single-seater at the exit of the Swimming Pool section with just under half of the session remaining.
His car violently hit the safety barriers, immediately causing the session to be interrupted to allow marshals to intervene.
Hello, the damage
The impact caused significant damage to the single-seater as well as to the circuit’s protections. The marshals had to evacuate the car and carry out repairs to the barriers before the session could resume. The interruption lasted several minutes before the green light was finally given for the last fifteen minutes of running.
At the time of his accident, Hadjar was in eighth place on the timesheet, two positions behind his teammate. Leading the provisional standings was championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, who was continuing his preparation for Saturday’s qualifying.
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The session was also marked by a moment of tension within the Haas camp. Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman found themselves involved in a minor on-track incident when the Frenchman got stuck behind his young teammate in the fast Swimming Pool section.
Tensions between Bearman and Ocon
The situation caused some frustration on both sides of the garage, with each driver giving their own version of events over the radio. According to several observers, the exchanges were quite lively, with Bearman notably letting slip an unflattering comment about his teammate: “Quel idiot ! C’était vraiment stupide…”
Even though the incident had no sporting consequences and the tension quickly subsided, this episode was one of the most animated moments of an already eventful session.
Between Hadjar’s spectacular accident and the internal frictions at Haas, this first Monegasque session reminded everyone how unforgiving the Monte-Carlo circuit is. Drivers will now have to quickly regain confidence before a qualifying session which, as every year in Monaco, promises to be absolutely decisive.
Read more FP1: the top teams up front, Isack Hadjar in the barrier