Overview
- Charles Leclerc topped Friday’s first practice with Lewis Hamilton second to give Ferrari back-to-back one-two results across the two Friday sessions.
- Free Practice 1 was disrupted twice by red flags after Isack Hadjar slammed into the barriers at the Swimming Pool and Fernando Alonso clipped the Nouvelle Chicane, which limited clean running for many teams.
- Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in FP2 later on Friday as Ferrari completed a ‘perfect Friday’ of one-two finishes in both sessions.
- Leclerc and Lando Norris have been summoned to the Monaco stewards over an alleged late arrival at Thursday’s mandatory press conference, a procedural hearing that historically results in reprimands rather than sporting penalties.
- The weekend matters for the title race because Kimi Antonelli leads the championship strongly but Monaco’s emphasis on mechanical grip and qualifying position makes it one of the first circuits where Ferrari could blunt Mercedes’ advantage.