It was already apparent in FP1, and in the second practice session, Charles Leclerc showed Formula 1 the way relatively clearly at its home race in Monaco. Although Lewis Hamilton also made a strong impression in the afternoon. How Red Bull and Max Verstappen further reinforced the weakening impression.
The result: Leclerc drove new best times lap after lap, first on medium, then on soft, and at the end, with a time of 1:11.278, he was already faster than last year’s pole. Although Mercedes only drove on used soft tires, Hamilton came within 0.188 seconds of the Ferrari. However, this was on a lap that was driven ten minutes later. Third place went to Fernando Alonso, who had regained his strength in FP2, but was already 0.475 seconds behind.
Max Verstappen didn’t even manage to get under half a second. Red Bull continued to struggle with a car that bounced on the bumps. Verstappen still managed to stay ahead of Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll. Sainz in the second Ferrari was given almost seven tenths of a second to think about by his teammate.
Sergio Perez was already more than eight tenths behind in P8, Alex Albon and George Russell completed the top 10. Russell was also unable to keep up with his teammate’s strong pace. Oscar Piastri finished only behind Yuki Tsunoda in P12, but unlike fifth-placed Norris, he had not driven a single lap on soft tires. The Racing Bulls and Sauber also did not use soft tires.
Red Bull’s Friday misery continues in Monaco in the 2nd practice session
The incidents: Sergio Perez was the first to kiss the barrier, on the inside left in Massenet he rubbed against the wall without any consequences. Lance Stroll (twice), Yuki Tsunoda, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at the beginning of the second part of the swimming pool, both Alpine at the exit, Logan Sargeant in the last corner, Tsunoda later at the exit of Ste. Devote.
Oscar Piastri hit the wall on the inside of the first part of the swimming pool at high speed and came into the pits for a quick check, but without any damage. Eleven minutes before the end, Leclerc also misjudged the time in Ste. Devote, but was able to turn around at the emergency exit without touching the wall.
Verstappen continued to complain about the poor driving quality in the Red Bull: “I’m jumping like a kangaroo, man. It’s giving me a headache.” Perez agreed a little later: “I can’t see the apex of turn 3.” On his second soft attempt, Verstappen went for it in front of Portier and even touched the wall.
At the beginning, Russell struggled with massive steering vibrations when braking for the harbor chicane and took a shortcut there. During the break before the qualifying simulations, work was carried out deep in the front of the car. Later, he reported strange feelings with the steering torque on the straights.
The weather: All day long, Formula 1 was worried about the threat of rain. FP2 began again with clouds and an air temperature of just 20 degrees and a track temperature of 32 degrees. The probability of rain was estimated at 20 percent, but it remained dry.