Antonelli Leads Mercedes Charge into Monaco Qualifying After Dominant FP3 Performance
With overtaking notoriously difficult on the narrow Monaco circuit, securing a strong grid position today is crucial for championship contenders.
The story
The Monaco Grand Prix weekend has been a rollercoaster of pace leading into today's critical qualifying session. Ferrari started strong on Friday, with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets in FP1 and Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest lap in FP2. However, Mercedes found significant speed overnight, as championship leader Kimi Antonelli dominated Saturday's FP3 session, becoming the only driver to dip below the 1m13s mark. Leclerc was second fastest in FP3, with his Ferrari teammate Hamilton close behind in third, despite both drivers noting issues with their brakes. Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished FP3 in fifth. The session also saw a red flag after Ollie Bearman crashed his Haas at Massenet, losing his rear wing, which will mean a busy time for his mechanics before qualifying.
Key moments
FP3. Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time, a 1m12.720s, showcasing Mercedes' improved pace on Saturday morning.
FP3. Ollie Bearman crashed his Haas at Massenet, bringing out a red flag and damaging his rear wing.
FP1. Charles Leclerc was fastest in the opening practice session on Friday.
FP2. Lewis Hamilton topped the second practice session on Friday.
Championship
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 131 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 88 |
| 3 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 75 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 72 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 58 |
Next race
The Formula 1 season continues next weekend with the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, scheduled from June 12-14. This race marks the seventh round of the 2026 championship.
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