What the teams said – Friday in Monaco

Ferrari

Both Leclerc and Hamilton were happy to push from word go – so much so, both locked up and ran off the track at times. Leclerc even kissed the barriers coming into the Swimming Pool chicane, and was fortunate to escape from that moment with his car intact. He wound up topping the session from his team mate by just over two tenths.

In FP2, both looked quick from the off again, both were pushing and both impressed. But this time it was Hamilton who was the quicker of the two Ferrari drivers, 0.111s ahead of Leclerc. On current form, it looks like it might be an intra-team fight for pole between the home favourite and the seven-time World Champion.

Charles Leclerc - FP1: 1:13.978, P1; FP2: 1:13.137, P2

"It was a tricky day, with some work ahead of us, in particular in terms of brake balance, but I love this track and it’s good to be back racing here.

"It’s going to be very tight in qualifying tomorrow, so I hope that we can take a step forward and fight for pole position."

Lewis Hamilton - FP1: 1:14.204, P2; FP2: 1:13.026, P1

"It’s been a positive day overall and the car felt quite good right from the first laps. The team did a solid job with the changes we made between the two sessions and we were able to work through our programme without any major issues. Monaco is always a very different challenge, with the bumps and the close proximity of the barriers, so it’s not easy to find the right balance and put everything together. There is still performance to be found and tonight we’ll focus on the details, because the margins are very small here and there’s plenty of work to do ahead of qualifying."

Mercedes

It was a good opening session for Mercedes, who were one of the first to bolt on the medium tyres and thus ran before the track was fully rubbered in. Antonelli definitely had the edge on his team mate throughout FP1, Russell taking a little longer to find his feet.

That pattern reversed in FP2, with Russell the quicker of the duo. Both left time out there as they struggled to get a fully clean lap in, but even so, neither was on the pace of the Ferrari drivers. Work to do for Mercedes overnight if they want to keep their run of Grand Prix poles going.

George Russell - FP1: 1:14.983, P5; FP2: 1:13.405, P4

"We saw good improvements from FP1 to FP2 but if we want to be in the fight for pole and victory, we will have to take a similar step forward overnight. It is certainly shaping up to be the most challenging weekend of our season so far and tougher than we had hoped. Heading into today, we expected Ferrari to be at the front as they've typically been strong here. Its cars historically, particularly on the mechanical side, seem to suit these types of tracks. That is how today played out but it was surprising to see Red Bull so competitive too. We've got work to do to get in the mix; we have some ideas on where we can improve though, and we know there is more lap time to unlock. If we execute perfectly and commit 100%, then hopefully we can get there."

Kimi Antonelli - FP1: 1:14.537, P4; FP2: 1:13.529, P5

"It was not the most straightforward Friday of the season. I struggled with the car, particularly in the middle sector and that was limiting our pace. We tried a lot of different set-up options and have gathered a lot of good data. That will help us evaluate what work to do overnight and what changes to make for FP3 and Qualifying.

"Ferrari look to be in a very strong position. We know they are typically good in Monaco, and they certainly seem to be favourites for tomorrow. We know there is more time for us to find though given we didn't get the car in its perfect sweet spot yet, so hopefully we can take a step forward and be in the mix tomorrow."

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

"It's a long time since we had a good weekend in Monaco, so we arrived here with modest expectations. We have worked hard on our preparation to try and land our start set-up in a decent place. We also were doing some cross car compares in FP1 to give ourselves plenty of data to work through.

"By FP2, we had landed both cars in a reasonable region, but our single lap pace was slightly off the Ferraris and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Encouragingly, we have a car that we can work with though and importantly can see some opportunity to make it quicker. We've certainly got to find a bit of pace if we want to be in the fight for the front row tomorrow, but we can take some encouragement from the fact that W17, on first impressions at least, seems a bit better suited to this track than its predecessors."

McLaren

In what will be a seismic weekend for the team who celebrate their 1000th Grand Prix on Sunday, McLaren started quietly in FP1. Both drivers had steady sessions but neither was able to set a fully representative lap time, with Piastri catching traffic on his flying lap while Norris slid over the kerbs in the Swimming Pool complex. Their day did not improve as the afternoon wore on, with Norris parking up early on in FP2 with what was at the time a suspected battery issue.

That meant no soft tyre running for him, leaving Norris playing catch up tomorrow. As for Piastri, he hit the walls on one of his flying laps and while he was able to continue, he could not extract enough pace to challenge for the top spots as McLaren appear to have dropped behind Red Bull in the pecking order.

Lando Norris - FP1: 1:15.291, P6; FP2: 1:15.274, P19

"Tricky day. We're clearly off the pace and need to find time all across the lap. Frustrating to lose track time today, as that's always important here in Monaco. The car simply turned off, so we need to investigate what happened there.

"We'll work hard overnight to try and get more performance out of the car, but realistically it's going to be difficult to compete at the front of the field this weekend based on where we are compared to the competition. It’s not necessarily a surprise, but it’s not where we want to be, so we’ll work hard to understand what we’re missing and try to recover where we can for tomorrow."

Oscar Piastri - FP1: 1:15.565, P8; FP2: 1:14.088, P7

"Today was certainly a tough day for the team. We're not where we want to be, and the gap to the front is larger than we had hoped for. We made some small steps forward between the first and second practice sessions, but we're still a second off the pace, which shows how much work we have to do.

"We need to go through the data and find some answers overnight because, as it stands, we are simply not quick enough. There's no single solution that will turn things around completely, but we will explore every option available to find performance and be in a more competitive position for the rest of the weekend."

Rob Marshall, Chief Technical Officer & Chief Designer

"We faced a couple of challenges today. On the performance side, we saw some promising signs in the second and third sectors, but we were struggling for pace in the opening part of the lap. We have a few things to look at, whether it's related to tyre temperature or setup, to unlock more performance. We've brought some circuit-specific updates here, as you always do for Monaco, and we're confident in the fundamental package, but know there is work to do to put us in a more competitive position with the leading three teams this weekend.

"Lando's session was unfortunately cut short by an electrical fault which caused the car to shut down. The team is working hard to diagnose the root cause so we can ensure it doesn't happen again, and to make sure that the focus is on optimising everything for Qualifying."

Audi

Audi had a very strong opening to their Monaco weekend, with both drivers finishing in the top 10 in FP1. They then proved that was no fluke by repeating the feat in FP2. Hulkenberg used his experience well, having the edge on his team mate in both sessions, but Bortoleto got much, much closer in FP2. As such, they could well be involved in a very tight intra-team fight tomorrow to make Q3.

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:15.343, P7; FP2: 1:14.094, P8

"It was quite a decent Friday for us. That said, everyone will be working hard overnight to find improvements, so we need to make sure we analyse everything from today and put the best package on track tomorrow. Qualifying is obviously very important here, but there's still plenty to get right across the weekend. The focus now is on staying calm, doing our homework and making sure we're ready to maximise our opportunities tomorrow."

Gabriel Bortoleto - FP1: 1:15.750, P9; FP2: 1:14.359, P9

"It was a decent day overall. Despite a few hiccups at the beginning of FP1, we managed to get the car into the top ten, which is quite encouraging. FP2 felt smooth and clean, and I was able to consistently improve throughout the session. It took a little time to put together a strong lap with the traffic out there, but I'm happy with what we managed in the end. We learned more about our balance and where our limitations are, which gives us a good direction for tomorrow. There's still plenty we can improve, and we'll be working hard tonight to find those extra gains."

Alpine

Alpine had a reasonably quiet opening hour to their weekend, but the good news for the team is that Gasly was back on form and finished in the top 10. Colapinto was slightly further back but will be buoyed by being back in Europe on tracks he knows well. The Argentine racer did clonk the barriers fairly heavily in the second session, but he was certainly not the only driver to do so and seemed to escape with no significant damage. But he’ll be wary heading into tomorrow, lest he does not get quite so lucky next time around.

Pierre Gasly - FP1: 1:15.828, P10; FP2: 1:14.497, P11

“It's good to be back in Monaco and it's always a pleasure to drive here. This year, with slightly smaller and lighter cars compared to previous seasons, it's definitely a different feeling and it's certainly still an enjoyable place to drive a Formula One car. We completed lots of laps today and it's always important for a smooth and consistent day in Monaco without too much interruption. A lot of our work in Practice in Monaco is focused on low fuel and Qualifying preparation. We were there or thereabouts inside the top ten for most of the day, so clearly we are in the mix for the points-scoring positions. We probably aren't as competitive here compared to some other tracks and there's definitely a few bits for us to work on as it's not been totally straightforward. We have a lot of work to do going through the data before another Practice session tomorrow as we aim to be as dialled in as possible ahead of the most important Qualifying session of the season.”

Franco Colapinto - FP1: 1:16.189, P15; FP2: 1:14.758, P15

“It's been an okay day for us in Monaco, back in Europe and back to the normal Grand Prix schedule with two Friday Practice sessions. It's always a special place to drive, especially as Monaco is where I live now. I would say we have a bit to work on after today and certainly we need to find a step up in performance. It's such a specific and unique place compared to a lot of other circuits, so I think it will be about fine tuning a few things rather than changing anything too big. The car generally feels fine and it's fun to drive still with these cars now a little smaller and lighter. We have less power unit management here with energy recovery and deployment so really it's about finding a more comfortable set-up and focusing on executing solid laps. We normally make a good step between Friday to Saturday so our aim is to be better tomorrow ahead of Qualifying.”

Steve Nielsen, Managing Director

“Today was not the best Friday for us and we certainly aren't satisfied with where we are after two Practice sessions. We didn't get many clear laps, but neither did others and we can see the track is constantly evolving, which is usually the case here on a street track, and giving a lot of lap time and performance. Because of that it's hard to say whether that's a true reflection of our pace and I think there's definitely scope to improve on our current position. Franco is not happy with the balance of the car, so we've got some work to do there to help with traction and braking in particular. Pierre is in a bit of a happier place but still a lot of work to do. We do tend to make a habit of not looking great on Friday and improving across the weekend. I hope it's a case of that again in Monaco and we can come back stronger tomorrow, especially with how important Qualifying and track position is here. The aim is still to get both cars into Q3 and race for lower order points, but we know this race is a bit of an outlier to others and can spring a few surprises. So, we need to work hard to be ready and look to optimise everything.”

Haas

Haas had to settle some intra-team gripes in FP1, with Ocon and Bearman squabbling over the same piece of track early on. Neither sounded impressed on the radio at the time, so Komatsu might have his work cut out in the post-session briefings. As for the rest of the on-track action, in the second session Bearman jumped up the order as he found a set-up more to his liking. Ocon has a little way to go to get on his team mate’s pace.

Esteban Ocon – FP1: 1:16.333, P17; FP2: 1:14.845, P17

“Today was practice, but we know it’s tomorrow that matters. Today was about figuring out the limitations of the car, and we have some good data now, so it’s up to us to improve the car. Tomorrow morning is when we’ll start getting closer to the wall, pushing harder, and finding out where we are.”

Oliver Bearman - FP1: 1:16.292, P16; FP2: 1:14.456, P10

“I’m quite happy with the progress we’ve made today in Monaco, as we know how important this weekend is. FP1 was challenging, but in FP2 we made a step forward, and I’m quite happy with the balance that we had. We still have a lot of work to do overnight, but with a bit of finetuning, I think we can move up some places and that’s the target for tomorrow, as we know the most important part of this weekend is qualifying.”

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal

“Monaco is really a driver track, so we needed two clean sessions and to start from a decent baseline. FP1 was actually quite tricky because of the track conditions, tyre conditions, and so on – which is nothing new for Monaco, but it was a more difficult session, however operationally it was good. The team reviewed the data based on driver feedback and improved the car for FP2. Ollie decided after FP2 that he was much happier with the car, which is great, but we had a small issue with Esteban’s steering system. That’s causing him problems, but we think we know what the issue is, so we’ll solve it overnight. Tomorrow, we need to focus on getting the tyres in the window for qualifying and execute cleanly – then I don’t think it’s too far away. We have things to improve tonight, but overall, it’s been a decent Friday.”

Williams

Williams continue to improve, with both drivers winding up on the cusp of the top 10 in FP1. Albon was the quicker of the duo in the first session, while Sainz then got the better of his team mate in FP2. Less than a tenth separated the team mates in each session, which bodes well for at least one driver making a push for Q3 tomorrow. The team have said having an overweight car isn’t as big a penalty here as at other tracks, so they will hope for a strong result.

Alex Albon - FP1: 1:15.989, P11; FP2: 1:14.600, P13

“Not a bad Friday overall. There's obviously a lot of traffic around this circuit, especially with 22 cars, which makes it tricky to get a lap in clear air. The track is a bit bumpier than last year and I also felt like I was sliding around a lot, so the focus for tomorrow will be on getting the car into a good window. Across both free practice sessions, we were hovering around P11, so I am more optimistic heading into tomorrow. Monaco is obviously all about qualifying and one-lap pace - I think Q1 will be tricky with the traffic, but hopefully we can make the most out of it and put ourselves in a good starting position for the race."

Carlos Sainz - FP1: 1:16.041, P12; FP2: 1:14.512, P12

“Overall, it's been quite an intense Friday, with a lot of disruptions throughout the sessions with yellow and red flags and with 22 cars on track the traffic was tricky. Having said that, we managed to put together some solid laps and more or less cover our run plan. Right now, it looks like we’re just outside the top 10, so if we want to fight for Q3 tomorrow we need everything to be perfect and we need to make a good step overnight with car and tyre preparation."

Racing Bulls

Lindblad was the first to complain on the radio in FP1, questioning his steering as he struggled to make it around the hairpin. Lawson followed on the radio soon after with a similar issue, before the team called both cars back to check what was going on. That was the start of a slightly messy session, with Lindblad getting in the way of some fast cars late on, while Lawson clipped the barriers and then ran a red light at the end of the hour.

Lawson escaped punishment for that infringement, but then clipped the barriers again in FP2 on what seemed a frustrating day. Neither driver was able to come close to the top 10, with work to do for them overnight.

Arvid Lindblad - FP1: 1:16.389, P18; FP2: 1 :14.748, P14

"It’s a pretty special moment to drive a Formula 1 car around this track for the first time, and I definitely took a few moments this morning to soak it all in. It’s been a decent day, but also a really intense one. Probably one of the busiest Fridays of my F1 career so far because of the nature of the circuit, there aren’t many straights, so you’re constantly driving and there’s not much time back in the garage. But it’s been a lot of fun. There are still a few things for us to work on overnight across all areas of the car, but we know what we need to do. We’re heading in the right direction, and hopefully we can put everything together for tomorrow.”

Alan Permane, Team Principal

“It’s been a tough day today here in Monaco, we’ve definitely got some lap time to find, but I’m confident we can do that after working overnight. The drivers are generally happy with the car, but we’re struggling to get tyres in the right operating window, which is giving us a balance mismatch. We also have some issues with the steering, but that’s something we will fix for tomorrow. No huge dramas, but it’s caused us to be on the back foot a little bit. We’ll do the best prep we can do in FP3 tomorrow ahead of Quali and I’m very sure we can find some more speed so we can aim for a Q3 finish."

Aston Martin

Alonso brought out the red flags in FP1, after the rear of his car stepped out as he exited the tunnel. He caught the wall as a result, losing a chunk of his front wing – but he did at least make it back to the pits under his own steam. Stroll did not have a trouble-free day either, a reliability woe costing him some running early in the first session. Both were able to complete plenty of laps in FP2, but neither driver was able to make much of a dent on the timing sheets.

Fernando Alonso - FP1: 1:16.678, P20, P22; FP2: 1:15.294, P20

"It was a difficult day for us in Monaco.

"We are struggling for front grip and have heavy understeer on the car.

"It's very inconsistent and not easy to drive. Hopefully we can do some setup changes and improve the situation tonight.

"My seat is feeling more comfortable and it seems we have improved this."

Pedro de la Rosa, Team Ambassador

"We knew today would be challenging, but it proved tougher than expected.

"We tried a number of changes across the sessions and gathered plenty of information about where we need to improve.

"The car lacked the consistency and predictability our drivers need to push with confidence around this circuit.

"There is a lot of work to do overnight, but we are focused on making a step forward for tomorrow."

Cadillac

Perez impressed for Cadillac in the opening session, winding up 14th at a track he does tend to go well at. The former race winner here then had a less than smooth second session, with a brake fire curtailing his running. He was forced to park up at Casino Square, and will hope not too much damage has been done to his car as a result. Bottas had a steadier day, running over the kerbs at one point but struggling to extract the same pace from the car as his team mate.

Valtteri Bottas - FP1: 1:17.460, P21; FP2: 1:15.759, P21

"Challenging day today. I was struggling quite a bit with the car setup, but that's what practice is for. We’ve just got to figure out the true corner balance, we also struggled a little bit with the ride of the car, but now we have the whole overnight. We’ll get the feedback from the simulator, and everyone is going to be working hard tonight to make improvements for tomorrow. Even though it's a tricky day, it's still great to be back on the streets of Monaco."

Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:16.170, P14; FP2: 1:15.116, P18

“It was unfortunate we ended the second session as we did on track, but it’s also about finding the limits for the race on Sunday and it’s important that we got as much running as we did. It’s been a strong Friday for us and we were close – a few tenths would have changed our lives completely, so I hope we can find them when they matter. We are close to the cars in front and where we finish tomorrow will depend on how others perform, but anything can happen around here – we just need to be there when it matters and get the maximum out of the car tomorrow.”

Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal

“Monaco is always a challenge, but it also provides opportunities. Our first day of running has allowed us to gather as much information as possible on a track that is very different from any we have been to so far. We have focussed on getting ourselves as prepared as possible for the operational challenges of Monaco and, aside from the stoppage on track right at the end of the second session – which we will investigate tonight – we achieved both of these objectives. We have a solid basis to build upon going into that crucial qualifying tomorrow.”

Pirelli

Simone Berra, Pirelli Chief Engineer

"Most teams started the Monaco weekend using the Hard compound, with the aim of assessing track conditions and allowing the drivers to build confidence with the circuit. The C3 will in all likelihood be the least-used option in the race, in a scenario that should point towards a one-stop strategy, barring any neutralisations.

"Over the course of the day, the other two compounds proved to be consistent. The long runs completed by some drivers did not show any particular degradation, while graining, although it appeared on some front axles, did not impact performance.

"Today’s fastest lap times are just three tenths of a second away from the quickest lap indicated by the teams’ simulations. It is therefore plausible that, already in qualifying, also thanks to the further evolution of the track, which is traditionally very pronounced in the Principality, lap times quicker than the forecasts could be recorded.

"To achieve a strong qualifying performance, it will be crucial to bring the Soft compound into the correct operating window. Teams may adopt different approaches to achieve this, taking into account the unique characteristics of the circuit. In strategic evaluations, managing traffic will also be critical, particularly in light of the presence of two additional cars on track this year."