In Monaco, Lando Norris achieved pole position for Sunday`s Grand Prix, setting a new track record in Monte Carlo and finishing ahead of Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc.
This pole, his first since the Australian season opener, came after Norris demonstrated strong pace throughout qualifying. His final lap, clocked at 1:09.954, was quick enough to secure the top spot. It was 0.109 seconds quicker than Leclerc and 0.177 seconds ahead of his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who qualified third.
Norris`s strong qualifying showing here follows the previous round in Imola, where he reduced the points gap to Piastri in the championship standings, suggesting a potential shift in his season`s momentum.
Speaking about his performance, Norris commented that taking pole “means a lot,” especially after a series of less successful qualifying sessions recently. He added, “Not just because it`s been a while since the last one but because how things have gone over the last couple of months with qualifyings.”
He continued, noting, “Monaco is a beautiful place. The hardest track to do it and up against the hometown hero [Leclerc]. I`m very proud of the whole team. We have worked very hard over the past few months. Very pleased.”
Charles Leclerc commented on his second-place start, saying, “There`s always something more to be done, but at the end of the day, this was the best we could do.” He added regarding his car`s performance, “We know that we don`t quite have the car to go for wins this year, but this weekend the car felt good, and starting second here, it`s going to be tricky to take that first place.”
Historically, starting from pole is crucial for victory in Monaco due to the circuit`s nature. However, a new regulation this year mandates a two-stop strategy instead of the usual one-stop. This unique Monaco rule is expected to encourage drivers to push harder throughout the race, potentially leading to strategic risks from those outside the top 10 points positions.
Lewis Hamilton initially qualified fourth for Ferrari but received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen during Q1 at Massenet. Verstappen, 0.717 seconds behind Norris, will start the race from fifth.
Competing in his first Monaco Grand Prix, Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls secured sixth place on the grid. He will start ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Esteban Ocon (Haas). Hadjar`s teammate, Liam Lawson, qualified ninth, just behind Alex Albon of Williams in tenth.
Alex Albon`s teammate, Carlos Sainz, narrowly missed reaching Q3 by 0.1 seconds, reporting a lack of grip on his final Q2 tire set. He will start 11th, just ahead of Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) in 12th and Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) in 13th.
George Russell qualified in 14th position after his Mercedes stopped in the tunnel during Q2, reportedly due to an electrical issue before his first flying lap. The team suspected hitting a bump in Turn 1 might have caused it, but awaited the car`s return for a full investigation.
The recovery of Russell`s car from the tunnel led to a red flag suspension of the session.
Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli will begin his first Monaco Grand Prix from 15th place, one spot behind his Mercedes teammate, after crashing at the Nouvelle Chicane on his final Q1 lap.
The 18-year-old driver hit the inside barrier entering the chicane while trying to improve his time. This collision damaged his front left suspension, sending him into the barrier bordering the track and the harbor. Although unharmed, the damaged and stranded car prevented him from progressing to Q2.
Gabriel Bortoleto of Sauber qualified 16th, missing Q2 by just 0.102 seconds compared to Antonelli. Oliver Bearman in the Haas was 17th fastest, but a 10-place penalty incurred during Friday practice for overtaking under red flags means he will start from the back of the grid in 20th and last place.
Pierre Gasly will start 17th, followed by his Alpine teammate Franco Colapinto in 18th, who improved from being the slowest in Q1. Lance Stroll begins from 19th after being handed two separate grid penalties: one for impeding Leclerc in FP1 and three for impeding Gasly in qualifying.
Dominic Ashworth