On the Principality circuit that he knows so well, Charles Leclerc set the fastest qualifying time this Saturday and will start from pole position this Sunday (3 p.m.) for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Monegasque driver finished ahead of his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Pérez (Red Bull).
IT'S POLE FOR LECLERC IN MONACO!!!
👏👏👏#MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/9a1XdvtLKe
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 28, 2022
Max Verstappen, reigning world champion and at the top of the drivers' classification after his last victory at the Spanish Grand Prix a few days ago (with a six-point lead over Charles Leclerc who had then been forced to retire), had to settle for fourth place.
The French Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Pierre Gasly
(Alpha Tauri) finished tenth and seventeenth respectively.
"It's very special, I'm so happy"
The last session of qualifying was nevertheless cut short after the crash against the security barriers of Sergio Pérez, struck in stride by Carlos Sainz at the entrance to the famous tunnel.
“I was on my lap, saw the yellow flag, braked and tried to avoid it as best I could,” the Spaniard said after the incident.
Earlier in qualifying, the first part (Q1) was interrupted a few minutes by a red flag after Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) crashed into a safety barrier.
To the chagrin of his teammate, the Frenchman Pierre Gasly, in good shape since the start of the weekend, but who suffered the full brunt of the arrival of this flag.
On the Monegasque track, not conducive to overtaking in the narrow streets of Monaco, the positions on the grid are crucial.
They will be all the more important as the rain could arrive at the start of the race on Sunday.
On the Monegasque circuit, not conducive to overtaking in the narrow streets of Monaco, the positions on the starting grid are often decisive.
“It's very special, I'm so happy.
It's been a very fluid weekend here.
That last lap was really good before the red flag.
The car was incredible to drive”, replied Charles Leclerc after the race, at the microphone of Canal + when his Grand Prix, legendary and historic stage of the season, could be threatened in the near future.