Hamilton Warns Verstappen as Ferrari Top Monaco Practice, McLaren Fined by FIA

Ferrari established themselves as the team to beat during Friday practice at the Monaco Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finishing first and second across both sessions. Hamilton, who set the fastest time of the day in FP2, immediately cautioned rivals including Max Verstappen that the Scuderia still has untapped potential ahead of crucial qualifying. While Red Bull showed improved competitiveness, McLaren endured a difficult afternoon as a stoppage for Lando Norris resulted in an FIA sanction for a safety system breach.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's seamless integration at Ferrari and his rapid pace around Monaco suggests the seven-time champion is ready to turn Friday speed into genuine victory contention at a circuit where grid position is everything. For McLaren, the penalty adds regulatory pressure to an already frustrating day, highlighting how even minor technical oversights can quickly escalate at the sharp end of the grid.

The details:

• Hamilton led FP2 with a 1:13.026, over a tenth clear of Leclerc, who topped FP1. Hamilton noted the run was clean and that further gains are coming once his engineer works through the data.
• Verstappen ended the day third and appeared encouraged by the car's handling, but Hamilton's message that there is "more in this car" signals Ferrari hold a significant margin over the field.
• Norris's afternoon ended after just 15 minutes of FP2 when his McLaren lost power on track. Marshals deployed the Car Disable System, but it failed to isolate the car's electrics per Article C9.3.
• The stewards issued McLaren a €30,000 fine, suspending €10,000 for 12 months provided there are no further breaches.

What's next:

Saturday's qualifying session will likely decide the race outcome, and Ferrari will aim to convert their practice advantage into a front-row lockout. Red Bull must find answers to challenge the Scuderia, while McLaren has work to do on both reliability and compliance to get Norris back into the fight.