Monaco Grand Prix Practice: Leclerc Dominates, Hamilton Crashes
MONACO — Charles Leclerc of Ferrari showcased exceptional pace in Practice 3 for the Monaco Grand Prix, securing the fastest time and completing a clean sweep of the practice sessions. Leclerc clocked a blistering 1m10.953s, almost three-tenths faster than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who registered a 1m11.007s on the medium compound.
Despite leading for a significant portion of the session, Verstappen struggled with Pirelli’s soft C6 tires, expressing frustration over their lack of grip. "No grip at all," he reported, signaling concerns ahead of qualifying as teams grapple with tire selection strategies.
The session began slowly, with only six drivers hitting the track in the early minutes. As action picked up, Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris exchanged leading times. Norris ultimately finished third, while teammate Oscar Piastri secured fourth, both about three to four tenths off Leclerc’s pace.
Lewis Hamilton, who placed fifth, faced a late-session mishap. While seeking to improve his lap time, the seven-time world champion crashed into the barriers at Massenet, causing a red flag that ended the session prematurely.
Williams’ Alex Albon completed the top six, followed by Red Bull’s Liam Lawson in seventh. Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten, all within a second of Leclerc’s pace.
FP3 Results Summary
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1m10.953s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 1m11.007s
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1m11.329s
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1m11.383s
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1m11.490s
- Alex Albon (Williams) – 1m11.640s
- Liam Lawson (Red Bull) – 1m11.743s
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 1m11.845s
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 1m11.934s
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1m12.080s
As teams prepare for qualifying, tire management and grip concerns remain at the forefront, with Leclerc positioned as the favorite to claim pole at his home race.
