Leclerc and Hamilton Lead Ferrari Resurgence as Piastri Crashes in

Leclerc and Hamilton Lead Ferrari Resurgence as Piastri Crashes in C… read more

Ferrari sent a clear message to the rest of the grid on Friday as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton topped the timesheets during the practice sessions for the Monaco Grand Prix. The iconic team, which has struggled to consistently challenge Red Bull and McLaren in recent races, appeared revitalized on the twisty and unforgiving streets of Monte Carlo. Leclerc, who hails from Monaco, delivered a commanding performance in front of his home crowd, setting the fastest time in both Free Practice 1 (FP1) and Free Practice 2 (FP2). His teammate for the weekend, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, closely followed, securing second in both sessions and reinforcing Ferrari’s apparent resurgence.

The surprising pace from Ferrari caught many in the paddock off guard, especially considering the unpredictable nature of the Monaco circuit. Their performance raised eyebrows and sparked conversations about whether Ferrari could finally mount a serious challenge for pole position and potentially even victory this weekend. Leclerc, in particular, seemed confident and comfortable in the car, making the most of his track familiarity and home support. Hamilton, who recently joined Ferrari and is still adapting to the car and team dynamics, also appeared pleased with the setup and balance of the car on the low-speed street layout.

While Ferrari enjoyed a dream start to their Monaco campaign, not everyone had a smooth day. Championship leader Oscar Piastri encountered difficulties during the second practice session. The McLaren driver, who has shown strong form throughout the season, admitted that his day did not go as planned. He finished second fastest overall but described his sessions as “very messy.” His problems were compounded by a crash in FP2 at the Ste Devote corner, where he lost control and made contact with the barriers, damaging the front wing of his car.

Despite the incident, Piastri remained upbeat about McLaren’s potential for the weekend. He acknowledged that the raw pace was present and expressed confidence that the team could recover in time for qualifying. “The pace is there when we get everything together,” the Australian stated, suggesting that his car had the performance to compete if the setup and execution were refined.

With Ferrari’s unexpected dominance in Friday practice and Piastri’s troubles, the stage is set for a dramatic qualifying session. All eyes will be on whether Leclerc can convert his practice pace into a pole position in front of his home fans, and whether Piastri can bounce back from his crash to stay in the title fight.