F1 | Monaco: Leclerc looks like the man to beat. But he needs caution

Caution. That of Leclerc in underlining that “it’s only Friday”, that of Hamilton when he highlights that “we have to wait for qualifying”, that which comes spontaneously towards Max Verstappen and Red Bull, grappling with a more complicated Friday than expected, exactly like a week ago in Imola. It was a day with several surprises that opened the Monte Carlo weekend, starting with the leadership of Charles Leclerc and Ferrari.

It’s not the first position that was surprising, but rather the approach with which Charles started the weekend at home. At the end of the FP2 session the gap between Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton (surprise second) was 0″188, nothing stellar, but in reality Charles (due to traffic and smudges) did not put together the lap that would have been within reach of he. The three best sectors are his, and ideal-time estimates the time potentially in his hands at three tenths lower, and it is not a cold arithmetic calculation, but a real reference of what was seen on the track.

But it’s only Friday. The certainty is that Leclerc started the weekend in the best possible way, his time to get along with the track was practically nil and the feeling with the car immediately appeared excellent, but it is too early to draw conclusions in view of tomorrow’s crucial qualifying . In light of what we saw today, he will be the man to beat, but there is a night’s work that could play a role in the hierarchies we will see on the track tomorrow.

There was déjà-vu at Red Bull, with Verstappen bluntly complaining about the rigidity of his car which didn’t allow him to use the curbs. “I jump like a kangaroo!”, Max shouted on the radio at the start of the session, then the changes to the car’s setup went in the right direction.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Adrian Newey also appeared in the garage (present in Monaco as ambassador of the RB17 project) and in the end Verstappen ended the afternoon with the fourth fastest lap but with an excellent race pace. “The long run actually went well – commented Helmut Marko – but here in Monaco it’s of little use if you don’t start on the front row. I hope that what we changed on the cars before the race simulations can also be useful in qualifying, we will know tomorrow. Would I bet on Max’s pole? No, I would focus on Leclerc.”

The race simulation has put Mercedes back, but Hamilton knows he has an important opportunity available if he can secure a start on the first two rows. His exploit was the surprise of Friday, unexpected even by the men of the team and by Lewis himself. “The grip turned out to be very good – commented Hamilton – and on this track when you have good traction the feeling is excellent. I would say it was the best day at this track in the last two years, and this makes me see tomorrow’s qualifying from a different perspective.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

McLaren is still a very open construction site. Piastri appeared at ease in the FP1 session, but in the afternoon session his work program did not include the use of soft tyres. “I don’t mind challenging the walls – he commented smiling – I decided to mount the soft tires in FP1 because I was afraid of the afternoon rain, but I don’t think it’s a problem”.

Norris appeared a little less confident (“The feeling in the car is good, but the times are less so”) but his rivals are not cutting McLaren off from the fight for the top positions. Tomorrow’s qualifying promises to be not only crucial for Sunday’s result (as per tradition) but also one of the most open ever, with eight drivers candidates for the front row.

Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images