Racing ace Leclerc clinches lead in Monaco's practice session, outshining Verstappen and Norris.
In Monaco, hometown hero Charles Leclerc took pole position in the opening practice session of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix. Driving for Ferrari, Leclerc posted a time of 1:11.964, outpacing Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris.
The session began on a discordant note for Leclerc, who had an unplanned encounter with Lance Stroll at Turn 6, the Hotel hairpin. Stroll, who was moving back onto the racing line after allowing another driver to pass, failed to notice Leclerc approaching from behind, resulting in a collision that caused significant damage to both drivers' vehicles.
Leclerc, though suffering a broken front wing, was able to continue after the red flags were waved due to debris on the track. Stroll's Aston Martin, however, required a new rear suspension and a gearbox change, forcing him to retire prematurely. Both drivers were subsequently summoned to the stewards to explain the incident.
Following Leclerc's lead, the session saw Lewis Hamilton, championship leader Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris leading the charge. Piastri briefly took the top spot before Leclerc regained it, setting the FP1 pace. However, balance problems led the Ferrari driver to complain about his car.
In the session's latter stages, several incidents marred the proceedings. Lando Norris went straight on at Sainte Devote, while Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar tangled with the barriers in the swimming pool section.
Lewis Hamilton came close to a crash in the same area when he got the entry to the swimming pool chicane wrong, resulting in his car going airborne off the kerb on his left.
Verstappen, who spent most of the session on Hard tyres, opted for a late switch to the C6 Soft tyres. He completed two flying laps on the tyre, posting a time of 1:12.127, good enough for second place, 0.163 seconds behind Leclerc.
Behind Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Alexander Albon, and George Russell made up the top six. Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten.
Investigations are underway regarding the collision between Leclerc and Stroll, with both drivers facing potential penalties. Communication issues are believed to have played a role in the incident.
Sports fans amidst the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix witnessed an intense racing battle, with Charles Leclerc setting the FP1 pace despite balance problems in his Ferrari after his collision with Lance Stroll during practice. The incident, subject to ongoing investigations, appeared to be due to communication issues as Stroll failed to notice Leclerc approaching from behind.
