FERRARI LEAD MONACO FP2 AS HAMILTON OUTPACE LECLERC IN STRONG SHOWING
Ferrari ended the second free practice session in Monaco at the top of the timesheets, confirming strong early weekend form with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest lap ahead of Charles Leclerc. The British driver impressed with a time of 1:13.026, just over a tenth quicker than his teammate, underlining his growing confidence at the wheel of the SF-26.
Leclerc finished second but was unable to improve on Hamilton’s benchmark in the final part of the session. The Monegasque reported some braking instability, an issue that has already appeared in previous races, which limited his ability to extract the maximum from his final soft-tyre runs.
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, only a few tenths behind the Ferraris, confirming that the team remains close despite Ferrari’s strong showing. Behind him, Mercedes struggled more for consistency, with George Russell in fourth and Kimi Antonelli in fifth. Both drivers expressed discomfort with the balance of the W17, describing the car as unpredictable at times.
McLaren had a more difficult session. Oscar Piastri managed seventh place, while Lando Norris suffered a major setback after a battery-related issue forced him to stop in the tunnel area, triggering a virtual safety car and ending his running early. It marked another reliability concern for McLaren after a complicated start to the weekend.
The session began with Ferrari immediately showing strong pace on medium tyres, with both Leclerc and Hamilton trading fastest laps in the opening stages. Their performance remained consistently strong throughout the first half of FP2, especially through Monaco’s tight and technical sections where confidence in the car is crucial.
A first virtual safety car interrupted the session after Norris’s issue, but Ferrari quickly returned to the front once running resumed. Leclerc briefly took control with a 1:13.137 on soft tyres, before Hamilton responded later in the session with his 1:13.026 to reclaim first place.
Red Bull also improved on the soft compound, with Verstappen briefly going fastest at one stage before being displaced by the Ferraris. Mercedes, meanwhile, remained slightly off the pace of the leading trio, with both drivers still searching for better balance.
Nico Hülkenberg delivered a strong performance for Audi in eighth place, ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth and Oliver Bearman, who completed the top ten in a solid showing for the rookie.
Overall, Ferrari finished FP2 with the strongest impression, especially on the medium compound where they looked particularly competitive. However, small rear instability issues on soft tyres suggest there is still work to do before qualifying at one of the most demanding circuits of the season.
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