Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has made it a clear sweep of apply periods at F1’s Monaco Grand Prix as a tyre enigma units up an intriguing qualifying session, whereas team-mate Lewis Hamilton tagged the wall.
Having topped Friday’s two apply periods, Leclerc bested Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen to go into qualifying because the slight favorite to make it back-to-back poles at his dwelling race.
Leclerc improved on Verstappen’s time on the finish of the session, together with his 1m11.179s simply 0.054s faster than the world champion’s effort on mediums, earlier than enhancing his time to a 1m10.953s to go practically three tenths clear.
That highlighted the headache Pirelli’s tyre choice is inflicting groups into qualifying, as Verstappen struggled to go faster on the comfortable C6 compound than on his C5 medium tyre.
Verstappen complained the C6 had “no grip in any respect” into Flip 1, whereas drivers resorted to attempting two consecutive cool-down laps to get the red-walled tyre again into the proper working window.
The beginning of the ultimate one-hour session on the sunny riviera was a largely leisurely affair as solely six drivers took to the observe over the primary quarter.
The session picked up within the second quarter with Leclerc and Norris buying and selling turns on the high of the leaderboard as instances had been whittled down on a avenue circuit that was opened to the general public in a single day and seemed extra slippery than it was on Friday afternoon.
Verstappen went high on the medium tyres after 24 minutes, briefly deposed by Leclerc earlier than he discovered extra tempo across the midway mark with a 1m11.233s.
After a quick mid-session lull, groups tried completely different techniques the exploit the comfortable tyres, however no one appeared able to besting Verstappen’s medium time.
Mercedes George Russell mentioned he was out of concepts as he was urged to attempt double cool-down laps, with site visitors points additional hampering a number of flyers.
Verstappen could not discover enchancment on the softs both as he voiced his dislike of the C6 compound, however within the dying minutes Leclerc did discover tempo to make it a clear sweep of all three apply periods.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Pictures
Norris and Oscar Piastri had been third and fourth quickest for McLaren, respectively three and 4 tenths behind the Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton was fifth, however as he chased a late enchancment the seven-time world champion misplaced management over his Ferrari within the lengthy left-hander of Massenet, sliding into the limitations together with his right-rear after which right-front, inflicting a crimson flag that successfully ended the session.
Alex Albon was sixth for Williams adopted by Racing Bulls man Liam Lawson, who confirmed a strong begin to the weekend on Friday. The second Williams of Carlos Sainz was eighth forward of Purple Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, all inside a second of Leclerc. Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli headed team-mate Russell to spherical out the highest 10.
F1 Monaco GP – FP3 outcomes
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