Monaco GP Qualifying Recap
In an eventful qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix, Lando Norris of McLaren emerged victorious, securing pole position with a record-breaking lap.
Q1 Highlights: Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in the opening session, but it was cut short when Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed his Mercedes at the Nouvelle Chicane. Key drops included Oliver Bortoleto, who missed Q2 due to an overtaking move by Isack Hadjar at the last moment. Other notable exits featured Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, and Daniel Colapinto.
Q2 Overview: The session saw both Mercedes drivers eliminated early; George Russell’s car suffered electrical failure, leading to his stoppage in the tunnel. Carlos Sainz was unable to improve in his final attempts, landing him among the three eliminated contenders along with Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hülkenberg. Norris topped this session, narrowly outpacing Leclerc by just 0.011 seconds.
Q3 Summary: In a dramatic finish, Norris clinched pole with a stunning lap time of 1:09.954, surpassing Leclerc’s provisional time of 1:10.063. This marked a significant achievement as he broke the previous track record. Oscar Piastri secured third place on the grid, while Max Verstappen moved into fourth following a post-session penalty for Lewis Hamilton, who impeded the Dutch driver.
The qualifying results set the stage for an exhilarating race in Monaco, with strategic tire choices and track positioning likely to play critical roles in the outcome.
