FERRARI LEADS FP1 AT MONACO WITH HOME HERO LECLERC
The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix opened the European leg of the season with a strong start for Ferrari, as the team immediately set the pace in the first free practice session. Charles Leclerc impressed on home soil, finishing fastest and leading a Ferrari one-two with Lewis Hamilton in second place. Max Verstappen completed the top three, just over half a second behind the benchmark set by Leclerc.
Mercedes followed in fourth and fifth positions, with Kimi Antonelli once again ahead of George Russell. While not at the very front, the team appeared consistent, focusing more on building confidence with the car than chasing outright performance in the opening session.
The Monaco weekend is always unique due to the tight street layout, and this year included further technical adjustments introduced by the governing body. These changes affected how teams manage their power units and aerodynamic setup, encouraging experimentation in a circuit-specific configuration. Mercedes, in particular, opted for an aggressive rear wing design suited specifically for Monaco’s low-speed corners.
Track conditions were warm but stable at the start of FP1, and most teams began on hard tyres to gather early data rather than push for fast laps. Early running was focused on understanding grip levels, especially in tricky areas like the tunnel and braking zones, where the surface remained slippery.
Ferrari quickly established strong pace once the session settled. Leclerc recovered from an early off-track moment at Mirabeau and soon found rhythm, moving to the top of the timing sheet with a series of improving laps. Hamilton also showed strong performance, consistently matching the frontrunners and briefly holding the fastest time during the session.
As the track evolved, Mercedes and Red Bull gradually improved their positions, but Ferrari remained the reference. Antonelli and Russell moved into competitive positions on medium tyres, while Verstappen continued to build pace and stayed within reach of the leading group.
Traffic played a major role throughout the session, as expected on the narrow Monaco streets. With the larger grid this season, drivers frequently encountered slower cars, making clean laps difficult and limiting the value of some qualifying simulations.
The session was interrupted by two separate incidents. The first came when Isack Hadjar lost control at the Swimming Pool section and hit the barriers, bringing out a red flag. Later, Fernando Alonso also made contact with the barriers after a moment in the tunnel, causing debris on the track and another stoppage near the end of the session.
Despite the interruptions, Ferrari ended FP1 in control with Leclerc leading Hamilton and Verstappen. Mercedes followed closely behind, with Antonelli once again finishing ahead of Russell, reinforcing his strong early-season form.
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