Charles Leclerc led the Free Practice 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday, setting a fastest lap of 1:13.978s to finish 0.226 seconds clear of teammate Lewis Hamilton, Yankee Scores reports.
Ferrari Means Business
Already a winner in Monaco, Leclerc is regarded as one of the best street circuit drivers on the grid and looked immediately at home despite clipping the barriers at the Swimming Pool section early in the session. The home favourite was keen to deliver and ultimately did so days after announcing a new multi-year deal with Ferrari.
Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull, 0.513 seconds off the pace, and Hamilton settled into second place with the Ferrari showing its pace advantage around the tight principality streets. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader, and George Russell completed the top five.
P1 in FP1 for home hero, Charles Leclerc 😎
It’s a Ferrari 1-2 in the first hour of practice in Monaco 💨#F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/GiEwQvlVbe
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 5, 2026
Red Flags Disrupt Closing Stages
The session was anything but smooth. There were two red flags in the closing stages – first when Isack Hadjar crashed heavily at the Swimming Pool after losing the rear of his Red Bull and then when Fernando Alonso clipped the barriers exiting the tunnel, damaging his front wing before limping back to the pits. Those delays cost teams valuable running time on a track where rhythm and confidence are important.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was sixth, with Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg also impressing in seventh place. One of Oscar Piastri’s best laps was compromised by traffic and he finished eight. Audi had two cars in the top ten , a promising sign for the German manufacturer with Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top ten.
What this means moving forward
Ferrari delivered on its pre-event favourite status, clearly out-performing Mercedes and McLaren, and also enjoying a less decisive but still significant advantage over Red Bull. With qualifying just around the corner, all eyes are on Leclerc chasing glory on home soil.
