FP1: Leclerc heads Ferrari one-two as the Scuderia set the early tone in Monaco

F1 Grand Prix, GP Monaco, Monte Carlo Circuit

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc began his home Grand Prix weekend in the best possible way, topping a twice‑interrupted first practice session around the streets of Monte Carlo.

The Ferrari driver delivered a 1:13.978, finishing 0.226s clear of team‑mate Lewis Hamilton, with Max Verstappen completing the top three.

The European leg of the 2026 Formula One season opened in quintessential Monaco fashion: heavy traffic, razor‑thin margins, and a session punctuated by mistakes. Yet amid the chaos, Charles Leclerc asserted early control of his home Grand Prix weekend, leading a Ferrari one‑two ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

The pit lane queue before the 13:30 local start time signalled the urgency up and down the grid. With track evolution steep and the session limited to one hour, teams were eager to bank laps early. Sergio Pérez, the 2022 Monaco winner, led the field out on hard tyres, while Leclerc—days after signing a new multi‑year Ferrari deal—joined the early running.

His session, however, began with a jolt: a lock‑up at Mirabeau, forcing him straight on before reversing back onto the racing line. It was a reminder of Monaco’s unforgiving nature, a theme that would repeat throughout the hour.

Hamilton established the first representative benchmark with a 1:15.617, edging Verstappen by just under three tenths. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar briefly slotted into third before being displaced by Lando Norris, who arrived in Monaco as the defending race winner and with McLaren celebrating its 1000th Grand Prix.

Further back, the Racing Bulls pairing of Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson reported steering issues at the hairpin, while tensions simmered at Haas as Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman exchanged radio complaints over track positioning.

As the session settled, Leclerc vaulted to the top with a 1:14.928, half a second clear of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Hamilton soon reasserted himself by moving into P2, though a lock‑up at Sainte Dévote forced him to pit for checks.

The switch to medium tyres at the halfway point reshuffled the order. Antonelli briefly claimed P1, Norris produced a spectacular save after a snap of oversteer, and then the first major incident struck.

Red Bull rookie Isack Hadjar clipped the barrier at the Swimming Pool chicane, spinning into the wall and triggering the first red flag. He emerged unhurt, but his RB22 required recovery, costing the field valuable running time.

When the session resumed with 15 minutes remaining, most teams committed to medium‑tyre performance runs. Hamilton reclaimed P1 with a 1:14.204, only for Leclerc to respond emphatically—becoming the first driver into the 1:13s.

The stewards confirmed investigations into Leclerc impeding Lawson and Lindblad impeding Piastri, adding a layer of post‑session intrigue. Lawson’s difficulties continued as he brushed the wall, while the second red flag arrived when Fernando Alonso damaged his front wing exiting the tunnel, scattering debris across the circuit.

The final minutes offered little opportunity for improvement, and the order remained unchanged at the top.

Ferrari’s one‑two suggests the SF‑26 is well‑balanced around Monaco’s low‑speed, high‑downforce demands. Red Bull appear competitive but not yet fully comfortable, with Verstappen’s radio complaints about pit‑lane releases hinting at operational friction.

Mercedes remain firmly in the mix, though Antonelli’s and Russell’s deficits on the medium tyre runs suggest more performance to unlock. McLaren’s pace looks promising but inconsistent, while Audi enjoyed one of their strongest FP1 showings of the season with both cars inside the top nine.

At the other end of the field, Aston Martin endured a bruising session, with Alonso’s crash and Lance Stroll’s struggles leaving them 20th and 22nd.