F1 results: Max Verstappen fastest in Monaco GP practice

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fastest in FP1 but he crashed out of FP2, which was topped by Verstappen.

Monaco Grand Prix FP1 results: Sainz fastest from Alonso What happened in Monaco GP Free Practice 1?

Sainz set the benchmark on medium tyres at 1m15.198s, sixth tenths ahead of Verstappen who was running hards and complaining of “severe” bottoming and poor handling early on.

Leclerc beat that with 1m15.037s on mediums after a front wing adjustment and carved down to 1m14.562s as the track rubbered-in.

Sainz lowered the bar to 1m14.245s, with Leclerc 0.287s off. Verstappen pitted, claiming he was “going to shunt” running this setup.

Just before the halfway point, Lewis Hamilton claimed P1 with his upgraded Mercedes at 1m14.035s on mediums.

Nico Hulkenberg spun at the Nouvelle Chicane after hitting his left-rear corner on the inside barrier, briefly red flagging the session even though he drove his Haas back to the pits on three wheels.

At the resumption, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) claimed top spot with 1m13.907s having switched from hards to mediums, before Sainz reclaimed it with 1m13.690s.

Sainz improved to 1m13.372s just before Alex Albon smashed the wall on the exit of Sainte Devote, tearing both left-side corners from the car. That caused a red flag which ended the session.

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Alonso set the early pace at 1m14.416s on mediums, 0.004s ahead of Hamilton, before Verstappen lowered the P1 time to 1m13.857s and then 1m13.312s. Team-mate Sergio Perez rose to P2, a third a second slower, ahead of the Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc, who set their times on hards.

Alonso was the first to switch to softs, unleashing 1m12.786s, before Sainz topped that with 1m12.569s.

Verstappen produced 1m12.462s on the soft tyres, 0.065s ahead of Leclerc. Sainz was a tenth off but crashed with 17 minutes remaining at the exit of the Swimming Pool chicane after clipped the wall on the inside, breaking his suspension, and then slamming the outside barrier.

No improvements were set after the red flag, with Alonso ending the day fourth, ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and Hamilton.

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