Leclerc triumphs over Piastri and Sainz to clinch home pole
MONTE CARLO, Monaco — Ferrari's Charles Leclerc delivered a commanding qualifying performance to secure pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix, outpacing McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz in a decisive Saturday session on home turf.
Leclerc methodically advanced through Q1 and Q2, setting the stage for a blistering display in Q3. He initially posted a 1m 10.418s, followed by an even more impressive 1m 10.270s, a benchmark none could surpass.
Piastri impressed with a close second for McLaren, followed by Sainz and his teammate Lando Norris. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Max Verstappen endured a setback, hitting the wall at Sainte Devote during his final lap and settling for sixth. This mishap ended the Dutchman's consecutive pole position streak at eight, tying him with Ayrton Senna on the all-time list, and leaving him with significant ground to cover on race day.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes will flank Verstappen on the grid in fifth and seventh positions, respectively. RB's Yuki Tsunoda, Williams's Alex Albon, and Alpine's Pierre Gasly also made it to Q3, showcasing their competitiveness.
Read next ❯ Ferrari to reveal Hamilton's debut F1 car on February 19 at MaranelloAlpine's Esteban Ocon narrowly missed the Q2 cut, landing in 11th, while Nico Hulkenberg, who briefly led in Q1, finished in 12th. Daniel Ricciardo ranked 13th, and Tsunoda emerged as RB's pole contender in Q3. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Haas's Kevin Magnussen rounded out the Q2 qualifiers.
The initial qualifying phase saw intense jockeying for track position and traffic-related incidents, claiming notable victims Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez, who will start 16th and 18th, respectively.
Logan Sargeant will line up between the Aston Martin and Red Bull drivers in his Williams, while Kick Sauber's Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu wrapped up the session as the slowest qualifiers, continuing a challenging weekend for the team.
The stage is now set for an enthralling Monaco Grand Prix, with Leclerc leading the charge from pole position.
