Ferrari Sweeps Monaco FP2: Hamilton Leads Leclerc by 0.111s as Mercedes Struggles
Lewis Hamilton set the benchmark in Monaco FP2 for Ferrari with a lap of 1m13.026s, edging team-mate Charles Leclerc by 0.111 seconds and Max Verstappen by 0.168 seconds. It marked a second consecutive Ferrari 1-2 across the Monaco practice sessions, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli fifth and George Russell fourth as Mercedes endured its worst FP2 result of the 2026 season. Lando Norris stopped early in the session after his McLaren switched off on track, with the team subsequently summoned to stewards over a clutch disengagement system issue. Ferrari heads into qualifying as the clear favourite on the Circuit de Monaco.
Ferrari Boss Vasseur Hospitalized, to Miss Monaco Qualifying Saturday
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur will miss Monaco qualifying Saturday after being placed under observation at a local medical facility, the team confirmed. Ferrari issued a statement on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying indicating Vasseur required medical attention but gave no further detail about his condition. The French team boss, who joined Ferrari in January 2023 and has led the squad throughout its 2026 campaign, will be absent as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton prepare for a critical qualifying session. Ferrari did not indicate whether his absence would extend to Sunday’s race day.
Hadjar Crashes at Swimming Pool in Twice-Red-Flagged Monaco FP1, Ferrari Leads 1-2
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar crashed heavily at the Swimming Pool section during Monaco FP1, one of two red flags that interrupted the 60-minute session. Fernando Alonso also brought out an earlier red flag with an Aston Martin incident. Despite the disruption, Ferrari dominated, with Charles Leclerc setting the fastest time of 1m13.978s ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.226 seconds and Max Verstappen third. Mercedes trailed throughout, with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell fifth, 0.559 and 1.005 seconds off the pace respectively, as Ferrari’s Monaco advantage became clear from the opening session of the weekend.
Monaco Practice Signals Potential First Mercedes Defeat of the 2026 Season
Monaco practice delivered the strongest evidence yet of a potential first defeat for Mercedes in the 2026 Formula 1 season, with Ferrari dominant across both sessions. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished no higher than fourth and fifth, with Antonelli’s 0.503-second deficit to Hamilton in FP2 representing Mercedes’ widest gap to the front all season. The Silver Arrows have won all five races to open 2026, but Ferrari’s consistent pace advantage on the streets of Monte Carlo marks the most significant threat to that record. Qualifying on Saturday afternoon at 4pm local time will be the crucial test for the championship leader.
Verstappen Says He Would Have ‘Signed by Now’ If Certain of F1 Future
Max Verstappen indicated he is still undecided on his Formula 1 future, telling reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix that he would have already made a commitment if he were certain of continuing. The four-time world champion, currently seventh in the 2026 drivers’ standings with 43 points, has not confirmed a long-term deal with Red Bull Racing. Verstappen secured his first podium of 2026 by finishing third in Canada last weekend, but questions over his future in the sport continue to circulate. No resolution to the contract situation has been announced heading into qualifying day at the Circuit de Monaco.
Sources: GPFans
McLaren Summoned to Stewards After Norris FP2 Clutch Failure Breaches FIA Rules
McLaren and Lando Norris were summoned to the Monaco Grand Prix stewards on Friday evening after Norris’s car came to a halt in second practice with the engine stopped and a failed clutch disengagement system. FIA Article C9.3 requires all cars to maintain a working clutch disengagement system for at least fifteen minutes after the engine stops, with the system also required to shut down the ERS. McLaren confirmed they would break the Friday curfew overnight to investigate the issue. Ferrari also received a formal warning at the same stewards session for Charles Leclerc impeding Liam Lawson during FP1.
Sources: The Race
Audi CEO Demands Turbos Retained as FIA Pushes for V8 Return in 2031
Audi CEO Gernot Dollner pushed back against FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s drive to introduce normally aspirated V8 engines for 2031, insisting turbos must be retained in Formula 1’s next power unit regulations. Speaking at a Monaco event marking Audi’s Nuvolari hypercar launch, Dollner said efficiency must take priority over cylinder configuration, adding the issue was not a deal-breaker for Audi’s F1 involvement. Manufacturer discussions on a potential 2027 change to the combustion-electrical power split were also scheduled for the Monaco weekend, with Mercedes and Red Bull supporting a shift towards 60 per cent internal combustion, while Ferrari, Cadillac and Audi oppose it.
Sources: The Race
Hamilton Credits Ferrari’s ‘Italian Bono’ Engineering Partnership for 2026 Improvement
Lewis Hamilton attributed his improved Ferrari performances in 2026 to a closer working relationship with new race engineer Carlo Santi, describing him as his “Italian Bono” — a reference to long-standing Mercedes engineer Peter Bonnington. Hamilton switched engineers over the winter after a difficult first Ferrari season in 2025, with Santi now established as his permanent race engineer. Hamilton said Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur played a key role in reconfiguring his engineering support, and that suspension development work together had begun bearing results on track. The 41-year-old has secured two podiums in 2026, finishing second in Canada behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Sources: The Race
Russell Fined as Mercedes Car Clocks 60.3 km/h in Monaco Pit Lane
Mercedes and George Russell received a €100 fine from FIA stewards after Russell exceeded the Monaco Grand Prix pit lane speed limit of 60 km/h during the first practice session on Friday. The FIA documented Russell’s recorded speed at 60.3 km/h, constituting a breach of Article B1.6.3a of the FIA F1 Regulations. The fine is a nominal penalty at a venue where the pit lane speed limit is strictly enforced given the narrow facilities. Russell finished fifth in FP1 and fourth in FP2 as Mercedes endured a difficult opening practice day trailing Ferrari by nearly half a second in both sessions.
Sources: GPFans
McLaren Fined €30,000 for Placing Transparent Tape Over Steering Wheel Button
McLaren received a €30,000 fine from Monaco Grand Prix stewards for placing transparent tape over a button on Lando Norris’s steering wheel, adding to a difficult Friday at the principality. Stewards determined the tape, applied by the team over a steering wheel button, constituted a breach of F1 technical regulations. The penalty adds to a challenging Monaco weekend for McLaren, which also saw Norris retire from FP2 with a car systems failure and the team subsequently summoned to stewards over a clutch disengagement system breach. McLaren currently sit third in the 2026 constructors’ standings with 106 points.
Sources: The Race
Drivers' Championship
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 131 pts
2. George Russell — 88 pts
3. Charles Leclerc — 75 pts
4. Lewis Hamilton — 72 pts
5. Lando Norris — 58 pts
6. Oscar Piastri — 48 pts
7. Max Verstappen — 43 pts
8. Pierre Gasly — 20 pts
9. Oliver Bearman — 18 pts
10. Liam Lawson — 16 pts
11. Franco Colapinto — 15 pts
12. Isack Hadjar — 14 pts
13. Carlos Sainz Jnr — 6 pts
14. Arvid Lindblad — 5 pts
15. Gabriel Bortoleto — 2 pts
16. Esteban Ocon — 1 pts
17. Alexander Albon — 1 pts
18. Nico Hülkenberg — 0 pts
19. Valtteri Bottas — 0 pts
20. Sergio Pérez — 0 pts
21. Lance Stroll — 0 pts
22. Fernando Alonso — 0 pts
Constructors' Championship
1. Mercedes — 219 pts
2. Ferrari — 147 pts
3. McLaren — 106 pts
4. Red Bull — 57 pts
5. Alpine — 35 pts
6. Racing Bulls — 21 pts
7. Haas — 19 pts
8. Williams — 7 pts
9. Audi — 2 pts
10. Cadillac — 0 pts
11. Aston Martin — 0 pts
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