FP2: Hamilton heads Ferrari one-two, but Verstappen closes in on the Scuderia in second Monaco practice

F1 Grand Prix, GP Monaco, Monte Carlo Circuit

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton topped a tight second practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, leading another one‑two for the Scuderia. F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo reports on FP2 in the Principality.

The session delivered fewer incidents than FP1, but it reshuffled the competitive picture in meaningful ways — and left Lando Norris and McLaren with serious concerns heading into what is traditionally the most decisive qualifying of the season.

Hamilton’s 1m13.026s lap on the soft tyres put him 0.111s clear of Leclerc, reversing the order from FP1 and confirming Ferrari’s strong low‑speed balance and traction. Leclerc, buoyed by his fresh contract extension and the weight of home expectations, remained firmly in the mix.

But unlike the morning session, Ferrari did not enjoy a comfortable margin. Max Verstappen slotted his Red Bull into third, just 0.168s off Hamilton, signalling that the world champions may not be as far adrift as early signs suggested.

George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli ended the session fourth and fifth, three to five tenths off the benchmark. Mercedes looked tidy but not threatening — a solid platform, though perhaps lacking the razor‑sharp rotation needed for Monaco’s tightest corners.

Isack Hadjar recovered well from his FP1 crash to go sixth, albeit over a second down. Verstappen’s pace suggests Red Bull have one lap speed to fight for the front rows, but Hadjar’s deficit shows the car remains tricky to extract performance from on this circuit.

Oscar Piastri salvaged seventh, but the real story was Lando Norris, who stopped early at the Nouvelle Chicane with a technical issue. With only eight laps completed, Norris ended the day 19th, losing precious mileage on a track where rhythm and confidence are everything.

Nico Hülkenberg continued Audi’s strong form with eighth, followed by rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth. The team’s low‑speed stability and traction appear to suit Monaco well, and both drivers looked comfortable pushing the limits.

Ollie Bearman completed the top ten for Haas, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto hovered just outside. Colapinto brushed the barriers at St Devote but escaped without major damage.

The only major incident came late in the session when Sergio Pérez pulled over at Casino Square with smoking brakes on his Cadillac. The resulting red flag ended running slightly early, though most teams had already completed their long‑run data gathering.