MONACO : Ferrari signalled its intent ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in Friday’s opening practice session, finishing ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton on the streets of his home principality.
After Mercedes swept the opening five races of the season, Monaco’s tight and twisting layout was widely viewed as an opportunity for rival teams to close the gap, and Ferrari made an encouraging start.
Leclerc, who won in Monaco in 2024 and finished runner-up last year, thrilled local fans with a fastest lap of one minute 13.978 seconds.
Hamilton, still seeking his first victory since joining Ferrari before last season, was second quickest, 0.226 seconds behind. The seven-time world champion also drew attention with a sparkling pink helmet suited to Monaco’s glamorous setting.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was third, 0.513 seconds off the pace, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli was fourth for Mercedes, 0.559 seconds behind Leclerc. George Russell was fifth, 1.005 seconds adrift, and reigning world champion Lando Norris sixth.
Drivers faced challenging conditions on the bumpy street circuit, repeatedly brushing close to the barriers as they searched for grip.
The session was interrupted twice by red flags. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar crashed into the safety fencing on the exit of the Swimming Pool chicane but emerged unharmed, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso damaged the front of his car after running off near the end of the session.
