2026 Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 Results

Charles Leclerc topped the opening practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, posting a 1:13.978 to lead a Ferrari one-two ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, with Mercedes duo Kimi Antonelli and George Russell rounding out the top five. The session was twice red-flagged—first when Isack Hadjar lost the rear of his Red Bull at Swimming Pool, and later when Fernando Alonso scattered debris after touching the wall at the final chicane.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's strong start on the streets of Monte Carlo signals potential dominance this weekend. Leclerc's pace and Hamilton's quick adaptation underline the Scuderia's resurgence, but the tight circuit magnifies any reliability or traffic issues.

The details:

• Top split: Leclerc was 0.226s ahead of Hamilton, with Verstappen a further 0.287s back. Antonelli (0.559s) and Russell (1.005s) were closest among the rest.
• Midfield surprise: Audi impressed with Nico Hulkenberg in P7 and Gabriel Bortoleto in P9, just behind McLaren's Lando Norris (P6) and Oscar Piastri (P8).
• Struggles: Aston Martin languished at the bottom—Alonso P20, Lance Stroll P22, both over 2.7s off the pace. Cadillac's Sergio Perez (P14) outqualified teammate Valtteri Bottas (P21) by over a second.
• Red flag incidents: Hadjar's crash at Swimming Pool mirrored classic Monaco mistakes, while Alonso's front-wing debris required a quick cleanup.

What's next:

With only one more practice session before qualifying, teams will scrutinize data to refine setup. Ferrari aims to preserve its edge, while Red Bull and Mercedes look to close the gap on the unique demands of the principality.