Ferrari in trouble, Red Bull in perfect shape. In the third and final free practice session of the Monaco GP the news was given by Sergio Perez who followed Max Verstappen with a gap of just 73 thousandths from the time of the world champion who set a good 1’12″776 with the soft tires simulating a flying lap The Principality track is slower than yesterday: the Dutchman’s RB19 was about three tenths slower, although Max seemed satisfied in having found a good balance.
The Milton Keynes team is aware that it is also very competitive in Monaco, while the session was negative for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz is only fourth, very far behind: the Spaniard is the first not to have broken through the wall of 1’12”, a feat which, however, was achieved by Lance Stroll before the red flag caused by Lewis Hamilton with the Mercedes touched at the exit of the Mirabeau, has determined the early end of the session for the red flag.
Lance was able to complete his second attempt on the red tyres, something many other drivers failed to do, including Fernando Alonso, forced to an unnamed 14th place after a mistake in the first sector.
We were analyzing Ferrari which seems to have suddenly lost its way, because if Sainz pays Max almost half a second, Charles Leclerc’s seventh place is worrying, seventh at 699 thousandths. The Monegasque complained about a redhead jumping in the rear and not allowing him a good ride through the chicanes at the Piscine. Charles asked for a set-up change and, probably, the Maranello technicians exaggerated by lowering his SF-23, but the Cavallino men were unable to make any counter checks, so Leclerc will go into qualifying with various uncertainties.
There is also the well-founded doubt that Ferrari has not pushed the engine mappings, remaining in a very deflated configuration. The Scuderia arrives at the decisive moment with the drivers less confident than they could have hoped.
Lando Norris confirms himself as a positive surprise of the weekend: the Englishman from McLaren, struggling with an annoying grid problem, started the session late, but found the paw that led him to an unexpected fifth place ahead of Pierre Gasly with the Alpine, while Esteban Ocon got stuck in eighth place: the Frenchman had trouble on his A523 and stopped at the start of the turn under the tunnel in a not too safe position. He was able to restart and return to the pits.
Lewis Hamilton is eighth with the new Mercedes: the seven-time world champion loses the black arrow at the Mirabeau braking point and due to an oversteer he ends up straight into the barriers with the front left. Lewis suffers the blow at low speed, but manages to be faster than George Russell who has never been at ease with this version of the W14: he is only 11th.
The top 10 is completed by a good Valtteri Bottas: the Finn makes the most of the innovations introduced by Alfa Romeo, while Guanyu Zhou suffers and settles for a sixteenth place
The Haas follow Bottas closely: Kevin Magnussen is ahead of Nico Hulkenberg even if the Dane was forced to stop his VF-23 before the Portier after restarting from a long one at Saint Devote.
Yuki Tsunoda with the AlphaTauri defends himself as best he can: his 15th time is encouraging, while Nyck Devries with the sister car doesn’t break away from the last position. The Dutchman was good at controlling the skidding AT04 at the first corner, where he skimmed the barriers.
Logan Sargeant is 17th, resulting in the fastest of the Williams drivers. In serious difficulty Oscar Piastri penultimate with the McLaren: Lando Norris is a long way off…
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