FP3: Leclerc leads Verstappen and Hamilton in final Monaco practice as qualifying looms

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets for Ferrari in the final practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix, leading Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. With crucial qualifying ahead, Leclerc's time of 1m 11.369s reaffirmed his strong form on home soil.

Check out the results of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessions

The session was eventful, marked by a red flag when Valtteri Bottas crashed his Sauber at Piscine, causing suspension damage. Hamilton also faced challenges, including a heavy lock-up at Sainte Devote.

Verstappen's improvement from previous sessions to secure second place was notable despite ongoing balance issues, while Hamilton settled for third, just behind the Dutchman.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri impressed in fourth, followed by Sergio Perez in fifth and George Russell in sixth. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and McLaren’s Lando Norris took seventh and eighth, respectively, despite a near-collision in the tunnel. Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.

Further down, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen placed in 11th to 14th. Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant, and Daniel Ricciardo followed. Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu and Bottas completed the order, with Bottas unable to set a time due to his crash.

Teams now prepare for the pivotal qualifying session at 1600 local time.

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