Monaco Grand Prix: pole at Leclerc

Cloudy. Dry. Air +25…27С, track +47…51С

In Monaco almost everything depends on qualifying and in qualifying almost everything depends on downforce. For 2022 cars, it is usually bottom-generated using the “ground effect”, which requires minimum height and hard suspension settings.

In Monaco, these institutions were not suitable for many. The problem isn’t that the drivers literally felt every bump – at some point the car came off the track with the front wheels and became uncontrollable. The height of the suspension had to be increased to dampen these vibrations, and the downward force also decreased, which affected the power balance.

On Friday, Leclerc was in the lead in home practice, but on Saturday morning Perez set the fastest time, four hundredths ahead of Charles.

At the start of qualifying, the sky was covered with clouds, the asphalt cooled quickly. The grip has deteriorated. The session turned out to be the coolest over the weekend and it will be even colder on race day.

In the first session the riders stretched out on the track, working in series of laps to get the tires in range and avoid traffic.

2.25 before the end of the session, red flags appeared. Yuki Tsunoda hit the barrier in the chicane after the tunnel and returned to the pits with a flat tire. After a short break, the riders set off again. There was a crowd at the exit of the pit lane – everyone was trying to get a free seat in front of them, leaving not everyone time for a quick lap. Leclerc, Sainz, Russell, Verstappen and Perez gave up.

The best time was shown by Charles Leclerc – 1:12.569. Albon, Gasly, Stroll, Latifi and Zhou dropped out of the fight.

In the second session the riders used the same scenario, alternating fast and slow laps. Many started the session on rolled tires, leaving a fresh set for a second try.

Charles Leclerc was the first lap of the weekend to go faster than 1:12 and led the scoresheet on the first attempt with 1:11.864.

In the second attempt, Perez almost repeated Leclerc’s result, losing nine hundredths, but no one could top him. Tsunoda, Bottas, Magnussen, Ricciardo and Schumacher did not qualify for the final.

In the final Leclerc was the first to set a fast lap – completing it in 1:11.376, ahead of his partner and the Red Bull drivers by two tenths. Russell cut the chicane and the round was cancelled.

On the second attempt, Leclerc drove even faster, but red flags appeared – Sainz and Perez’s cars stopped in front of the tunnel entrance, blocking the track. First Sergio turned, then Carlos turned in the same spot, crashing into Perez’s stationary car. The riders were not injured.

Crashed the car and Alonso – at the exit of the fifth turn. Thirty seconds remained until the end of qualifying, the session was not resumed.

Charles Leclerc won qualifying for Monaco with his 14th pole and fifth of the season. The second time was shown by Carlos Sainz – Ferrari has the entire front row of the grid for the second this year. Perez and Verstappen start second, Norris and Russell start third.

Qualification Results