The seven-time Formula 1 champion returned to his familiar surroundings, but the question remained whether he could maintain the same level of performance for the rest of the weekend.
It is important to note that Ferrari and Red Bull did not have the opportunity to test the soft tires like Mercedes did. Speaking of Red Bull, Max Verstappen once again expressed his dissatisfaction with his RB20 and ended up 11th in terms of fastest lap times.
Oscar Piastri had a promising start to his session, finishing second behind Hamilton. However, he set his fastest time before the British driver, indicating there was less grip on the track. McLaren still has more to offer.
We are at the most prestigious event on the Formula 1 calendar, Monaco, and there is a lot of anticipation and excitement following the previous races in Miami and Imola.
McLaren has been giving Red Bull a tough challenge with their updated and fast MCL38, which will also feature a Senna-inspired livery this weekend.
Ferrari is entering their second weekend with their updated SF-24, which showed decent speed in Imola and is expected to perform even better in Monaco now that the team has data from a full race weekend to refine the updated car.
Leclerc would love to win his home grand prix for a change. Will this be the weekend he finally achieves that?
Will Verstappen and Red Bull have a successful weekend? Monaco has not been particularly favorable to them in recent seasons. Although the Dutchman won last year, the slow nature of the circuit makes it challenging for the Milton Keynes team. With narrower margins this weekend, they may face even more difficulties.
Without going into too much detail, all teams made specific updates to the circuit this weekend, including high-performance components and special front suspension to navigate the tight corners of Monaco.
In terms of tires, Pirelli provided the softest range available: C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and C5 (Soft).
For the Monaco Grand Prix, Pirelli selected the three softest tire compounds available this year: C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium, and C5 as Soft.
The practice session began with clear conditions and some clouds in the sky. The track temperature was high, reaching 42 degrees Celsius, while the ambient temperature was 26 degrees.
The drivers were eager to start and Hamilton led the line of cars in the pitlane, waiting for the green light.
Piastri was informed that there was a small chance of rain at the end of the one-hour practice session.
All drivers, except Verstappen and Piastri, chose to start the session with hard tires. Verstappen and Piastri opted for medium tires.
Early on, Hamilton locked up his tires at the exit of the tunnel and went straight to the kerbs at the Nouvelle chicane. Shortly after, Hulkenberg also had a significant lock-up at turn 1 (Sainte Devote) and went off into the escape area.
In the 15th minute of the session, Alpine called Gasly into the pits due to a power unit issue that needed to be investigated.
Meanwhile, a replay showed Verstappen pushing the limits early on, brushing against the walls. However, it was not yet qualifying.
Bottas briefly brought out a yellow flag by going off track at Sainte Devote, but quickly recovered and continued.
Gasly was sent back out on track, but soon reported a power issue and returned to the pits while his mechanics worked on his car.
Gasly managed to get back on track in the final minute of the session after Alpine resolved a turbocharger issue with the power unit of his car.
After 20 minutes into the session, lap times started to drop, with different drivers taking turns in the lead. Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc again were among those setting fast times.
A replay showed Leclerc having a moment in the swimming pool section, with his right front tire scraping against the barrier. The rear of his Ferrari stepped out, but he managed to keep control.
Russell, driving for Mercedes, expresses his dissatisfaction with his tires, stating that they are not providing enough grip. This is his second complaint, the first one being about the hard tires and now about the medium tires.
Ocon has an issue with the front of his car, causing it to jump when making turns. He also reports a lack of power, similar to his teammate. He decides to go to the pits and solve the problem.
However, Ocon’s issue is different from his teammate’s, and he manages to get back on track after fixing it.
Leclerc has another scare with the barriers at Turn 11. Despite this, he manages to set the fastest lap halfway through the session.
Verstappen continues to flirt with the barriers and comments: “The car is on the edge, man.”
Piastri becomes the first driver to use the soft tires and reaches the sixth fastest time on his first attempt. He then sets the fastest lap on his second attempt.
Other drivers follow suit and start their laps on the soft tires. Russell sets the fastest time, over three tenths of a second faster than Piastri. However, Piastri quickly responds.
Sainz reclama de Perez, alegando que Perez poderia ter dado mais espaço a ele na pista. Esse é um problema comum em Mônaco devido às curvas apertadas e oportunidades limitadas de ultrapassagem.
Com 15 minutos restantes, Zhou atinge as barreiras na Curva 1, causando danos significativos em sua asa dianteira. A sessão é interrompida temporariamente para permitir que os fiscais retirem os destroços. Infelizmente, Leclerc passa por cima de algumas das peças de fibra de carbono quebradas do carro de Zhou.
A sessão é retomada com dez minutos restantes no relógio, mas a chuva começa a cair, aumentando gradualmente em intensidade. Os pilotos rapidamente saem para aproveitar as condições da pista antes que fique muito molhada.
Cinco minutos antes do fim, Perez relata um furo em seu pneu traseiro direito e volta aos boxes com dificuldade. Verstappen, em uma volta rápida, perde a chicane da piscina.
Verstappen então comenta: “O carro está tão instável nas ondulações que qualquer ajuste com frenagem do motor ou distribuição de freio só piora”.
É outro começo desafiador para Verstappen e a Red Bull, marcando a terceira corrida seguida com dificuldades.
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O piloto de Fórmula 1 Lewis Hamilton conquistou uma vitória espetacular no Grande Prêmio de Mônaco neste domingo. Hamilton, que largou na pole position, dominou a corrida desde o início e cruzou a linha de chegada em primeiro lugar, garantindo sua quarta vitória consecutiva na temporada.
A vitória de Hamilton em Mônaco o coloca ainda mais na liderança do campeonato mundial de pilotos. Com esse resultado, ele ampliou sua vantagem sobre seus rivais e está cada vez mais próximo de conquistar seu oitavo título mundial.
The race in Monaco was marked by a lot of excitement and fierce competition. Several drivers tried to overtake Hamilton during the race, but he held firm and did not give his opponents any chances.
In addition to Hamilton’s victory, another highlight of the race was the impressive performance of young driver Max Verstappen, who finished in second place. Verstappen showed a lot of skill and determination throughout the race, securing a place on the podium.
With the result in Monaco, Hamilton solidifies himself as the top contender for this season’s title. If he continues at this pace, he has a great chance of becoming the most successful driver in Formula 1 history.
The next stage of the championship will be the Canadian Grand Prix, which will take place next weekend. It will be interesting to see if Hamilton can maintain his flawless performance and secure another victory for his team.
