Sport

Charles Leclerc takes Monaco pole as Max Verstappen only sixth fastest

Homegrown star held his nerve to take top spot and will still start as strong favourite to take the win on Sunday

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc competes during the qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix. Photograph: Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc competes during the qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix. Photograph: Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images
Sat May 25 2024 - 16:26

Charles Leclerc delivered under pressure to put his Ferrari on pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Leclerc was the favourite heading into Saturday’s crucial qualifying session in Monte Carlo and the homegrown star held his nerve to take top spot.

The Monegasque saw off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.154 seconds, with Carlos Sainz third in the other scarlet car and Lando Norris fourth.

Max Verstappen, who was bidding to take a record ninth consecutive pole, could manage only sixth after he hit the wall on the exit of Sainte Devote.

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George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will start either side of the Red Bull driver after they qualified fifth and seventh respectively for Mercedes.

Leclerc has failed to convert his previous two poles in Monte Carlo into a victory. But, with overtaking notoriously difficult on the unique 2.1-mile course, he will still start as strong favourite to take the win.

Verstappen has been in a class of one over a single lap this season, but the triple world champion warned in the build-up to this weekend’s race that the street venue would not suit his machinery and his worse fears were realised.

On his final run, the Dutch driver struck the wall as he accelerated out of the opening corner. “F***, I hit the wall,” he said. “This car is slippery.

In the other Red Bull, Sergio Perez will line up a lowly 18th after the failed to haul his Red Bull out of the opening phase.

“What a joke,” said the Mexican over the radio. “F***ing hell.”

Perez, nicknamed the King of the Streets with five of his six career victories coming at temporary venues, will have his work cut out to salvage a respectable result on Sunday.

Mercedes might have hoped for more after Hamilton finished first, second and third in the three practice sessions.

However, the seven-time world champion will begin the race outside of the top six after he finished 0.351 secs adrift of Leclerc and two positions behind Russell, who now holds a 7-1 qualifying record this season over his more established team-mate.

Fernando Alonso finished second here last year, but the two-time world champion also faces an arduous afternoon in the principality after he fell at the first hurdle, qualifying 16th.

Alonso was unusually out-qualified by his Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, who will line up from 14th.