Millimetres from Disaster: Antonelli Denies Leclerc on the Streets of Monte Carlo!
Introduction
In a Grand Prix where most past winners have started and finished in the same position, finishing on top in Qualifying is vital. In hopes of being the second consecutive winner of the Grand Prix following the previous season, Lando Norris and his team are fighting to take that top place back from Mercedes, gaining points to boost them up the Constructors' Championship. However, can home town hero, Charles Leclerc, steal pole position from the likes of the other teams?
This is the first year under the new regulations, with two new teams. Will the change in dynamics cause even more disorder at a track that is already overflowing?
Qualifying Session 1
As the 10-minute mark hit, we saw the likes of Leclerc and his Ferrari going fastest in the first two sections, scoring himself a 1:13.399. McLaren was not far behind, placing both drivers just behind the Prancing Horse. The only top running team that didn't have their teammate just behind them was Mercedes, who was still setting slower times, whilst his younger, Championship leader teammate was in 4th, Russell was just barely making 10th place due to a minor yet detrimental mistake.
Looking down to the other end of the leaderboard were two teams that had yet to score any points. Cadillac and Aston Martin had both failed to score any points in the first half of the season so far. Monaco is a track that relies heavily on a driver qualifying on the higher end of the timesheet; therefore, it is paramount that they maximise all the potential of their cars to increase the chances of their maiden points.
A non-contributing factor was the sudden yellow flag that was waved due to the silver livery of Bortoleto barrelling into the tyre-made borders that decorate the infamous Nouvelle chicane. The accident was caused by the young driver just fractionally clipping the wall whilst entering the corner, which prompted Race Control to bring out the red flag and momentarily stop the session. This news did not provide any advantage for those occupying the bottom six positions, especially the Spaniard, Carlos Sainz, who has scored in every Monaco Grand Prix that he has participated in.
As the session progressed, and the two minutes ticked down, it was Colapinto who missed out on setting an improving lap as the clock struck 0. Sainz pushed Williams across the line to reunite with his teammate and secured an opportunity in Q2, forcing his way up the scoreboard to P10, resulting in both the Haas drivers entering the elimination zone. But it was Leclerc that maintained the prime position until the very end, beating McLaren and Mercedes, who have proven to be viable competitors.
Qualifying Session 2
As teams enter the next round with shiny new tyres, the tension and anticipation built as Max Verstappen strived to overcome his opposition and reclaim his position on top. As the Dutch Lion improved on his previous times, it was subpar to the other top teams. His brief stint at the top didn't last one lap as Piastri and Antonelli sought to steal it from the four-time World Champion.
Whilst the aforementioned Kimi Antonelli sat comfortably at the top, the British teammate was marginally qualifying for the next session in P8. Determined to rise through the ranks, George Russell continuously failed to beat the times of Isack Hadjar and Lewis Hamilton. On his final lap, section after section, Russell fell short of the challenge. This not only dissuaded Mercedes but also the driver himself and his abilities heading into the race on Sunday.
It was the joint attempt of Williams to beat the likes of Gasly and Lawson, who were seemingly milliseconds ahead of them, yet their endeavour was unsuccessful, alongside Lindblad, Colapinto and Hulkenberg. A change in atmosphere occurred when the Racing Bulls found themselves in first and third place. A sudden surprise for their rivals, who were just behind, whilst heading into the final session.
Qualifying Session 3
The end of qualifying neared, and it was becoming increasingly obvious that the intense competition and tight timings led to teams realising that a place on the podium was the best shot they had at scoring the highest number of points in the race.
Seeking the glory of their first race win of the season, the McLarens started off strong by setting times in the 1:.12’s– on the other hand, the championship leader Antonelli sought to further his lead in the championship and placed his Silver Arrow on top. Swiftly behind him was Verstappen, once again seeking to reclaim his team's glory, but he fell short of beating the younger driver following a small shunt as he came out of a corner. He was only 1 thousandth of a second behind as the pressure is seeped into the gears of Antonelli to push to stay on top.
Leclerc, sitting in the pits and on the lower end of the scoreboard, set off on a lap as we neared the end of the session. Filled with more fuel, Leclerc backed off the lap, favouring the cool down laps and leaving him with minimal opportunities. Through the chicane, Leclerc pushes his luck, and the car shaves off second after second…
Charles Leclerc went on pole! After past years of disappointment, could Leclerc keep it?
Verstappen, Norris and Piastri started their final laps.
Piastri failed to overcome him.
Norris failed to overcome him.
Verstappen came from nowhere and ran the best first sector, securing that pole position as Leclerc started his last lap. A jiggle of oversteer caused Leclerc to go stumbling into the same corner as Bortoleto, breaking his suspension. As the clock ticks down, the yellow flag came out– it's the Championship leader and winner of the past four races who storms over the finish line. The first italian to be on pole in Monte-Carlo since 2004 and Mercedes driver since 2019.
A thrilling session spiking excitement for the coming race, can the Silver Arrows remain unbeaten or will Verstappen get a foot through the door during the race on Sunday?