Monaco GP: Kimi Antonelli leads in final practice as Mercedes edge out Ferrari, Oliver Bearman crashes before qualifying | F1 News
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli indicated that Ferrari may not have it all their own way in Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying after all as Mercedes dropped back to overtake Friday’s runners in final practice.
After finishing the opening day around the unique road circuit three-tenths of a second clear of the flying Ferrari, Mercedes apparently worked overnight to improve their W17 setup and paid immediate dividends when they returned to the track.
Antonelli, chasing a fifth straight victory this weekend to extend his title lead to 43 points, set a brilliant time of 1:12.720 to edge Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.327s.
Leclerc’s first leg in his qualifying performance, which would have been too fast for him, was put at risk of congestion in the final sector, but the Monegasque was already 0.2 behind Antonelli at the end of the second sector. Leclerc also struggled with the brakes of his car.
“Mercedes has turned things around,” he said Sky Sports F1’s Anthony Davidson.
“Really impressive stuff from Antonelli again.”
Friday’s fastest Lewis Hamilton was 0.004s behind team-mate Leclerc in third, with George Russell fourth in the second Mercedes after his soft tire failed, and finished 0.7s behind Antonelli.
Max Verstappen had been Ferrari’s closest challenger on Friday but Red Bull struggled to stay with the leaders as the pace picked up in the final lap, the Dutchman finishing 0.9s behind Antonelli and now looking very much a pole contender.
McLaren remains the best part of a second off the pace and looks set to enter the leading third row with Oscar Piastri sixth and Lando Norris, whose car was repaired overnight after stopping due to technical problems in P2, ninth.
The impressive Audi still leads the midfield with Gabriel Bortoleto in seventh and Nico Hulkenberg in tenth keeping pace with the second McLarens and Red Bull of Isack Hadjar, who was eighth.
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Many cars were caught in a hairpin during the F3 Sprint in Monaco!
Oliver Bearman caused a red flag with 15 minutes to go when he crashed into the barriers after coming off the top of the hill at Massenet.
Bearman, who finished 14th fastest, quickly apologized to his team on the radio.
“Sorry guys. Bottoming! Oh my god,” he said, with his Haas mechanic now racing to fix his car to make it to the 3 p.m.
Franco Colapinto had previously damaged his Alpine while spinning and marking obstacles on a low-speed expansion pin.
Sky Sports F1 Monaco GP live schedule
Saturday June 6
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Monaco GP qualifying build-up
3pm: MONACO GP QUALIFYING*
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Martin Brundle guesses who sent these iconic Monaco Grand Prix radio messages
Sunday June 7
6.50am: F3 Feature Race
8.30am: F2 Feature Race
10.50am: Porsche Supercup
12.30pm: Monaco GP build-up: Sunday’s Grand Prix*
2pm: THE MONACO GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Monaco GP Reaction: The Checkered Flag*
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch the Monaco Grand Prix, the first of six races in eight weeks, live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Stream Sky Sports NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
