Monte Carlo GP: Leclerc still the fastest, then Verstappen and Hamilton

Montcarlo – With the same tires, he was always the fastest of everyone. First free practice session (fifth time but the first with medium), second free practice session and now also the third. Charles Leclerc for now he has no rivals, master in his own home, among the streets of the Principality where he was born and raised. In just over two hours, the start is scheduled for 4pm, he will go as favorite in search of his first pole of the season, which would also be the 24th of his career as well as the third in Monte Carlo. Synonymous with victory, on this track, even if he has a curse to erase: in five attempts, of which four with the Red – in 2020 there was no racing due to Covid -, he never reached the podium. Not even when, in 2021 and 2022, he managed to finish the qualifications with the best time. «We just need to improve the first corner», stimulates the new track engineer Bryan Bozzi, who replaced Xavi Marcos from Imola. «He is the favorite», comments Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal. By the way, the super designer Adrian Newey, who is leaving the team, also showed up in the pits – yesterday in civilian clothes, this morning in uniform. «For this weekend he has exclusively strategic tasks», adds Horner.

Four-way challenge: Mercedes is also there
If Charles and his Ferrari were the pleasant constant of the weekend, behind the Monegasque (who slightly touched a barrier at the end of the session) the rivals took turns. After a very difficult Friday, “the car jumps like a kangaroo and I have a headache” he said on the radio, Max Verstappen he returned to second place, less than two tenths from the leader. «He continues to push», they told him from the pits. “I risk ending up on the wall”, the answer. It didn’t happen, even though on his last attempt the three-time world champion – investigated for having made a lap that was too slow – encountered traffic. He finished in third place, more than three tenths behind Lewis Hamilton, after first and second in yesterday’s two sessions, with Oscar Piastri (McLaren) completing the poker of different cars in the first four positions. Sainz, again more than six tenths behind his teammate, instead had to settle for seventh place. Waiting for better times.