Formula 1 Live: Hamilton Under Investigation
- MONACO (AP) — Lando Norris secured pole position for McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix, with qualifying sessions revealing insights and frustrations across the grid.
- McLaren uniquely executed two quick rounds at the end of qualifying.
- The World Cup leader expressed satisfaction with P3, acknowledging a challenging weekend.
Norris Claims Monaco Pole; Drivers React to Qualifying Results
Table of Contents
- Norris Claims Monaco Pole; Drivers React to Qualifying Results
- Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying: Driver Reactions and Key Takeaways
MONACO (AP) — Lando Norris secured pole position for McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix, with qualifying sessions revealing insights and frustrations across the grid. The qualifying runs set the stage for Sunday’s race.
Norris: Strategy ‘No Risk’
McLaren uniquely executed two quick rounds at the end of qualifying. Norris explained that the strategy was calculated. “It was thought to be the best plan, and we stuck to it,” Norris said. He expressed immense satisfaction with his performance, noting that qualifying has frequently enough been a weakness this year. “Especially here in Monaco, it feels grate,” he added, marking his first pole as the season opener in Melbourne. ”I am vrey proud of the whole team.”
Piatri Focuses on Damage Limitation
The World Cup leader expressed satisfaction with P3, acknowledging a challenging weekend. “I think I came across more walls this weekend than in my entire career,” he said. He described the weekend as ”unclean.” Despite the difficulties, he stated, “Driving a round that I think is quite good and becoming third is a good result,” while admitting a mistake in his decisive Q3 run. He concluded that P3 was the best possible outcome, given the circumstances.
Verstappen’s Qualifying Struggles
After finishing second in FT3, the reigning world champion qualified only P5. Helmut Marko of Sky, stated, “We don’t know exactly” what went wrong. He elaborated, “We just didn’t have the necessary grip at the crucial moment.” Marko noted the car’s increasing slippage, notably in the last sector. Despite expecting at least P3, he conceded they “could not have created the times of McLaren and Ferrari.” Regarding a potential penalty for Hamilton, Marko said, “If we win a place in this way, it should be okay. But our speed was just not there.”
Leclerc Disappointed with Q3 Performance
Charles Leclerc, who had been at the forefront in all training sessions, qualified P2. “I think the round was really good,” Leclerc said in an interview, expressing his disappointment. He attributed his frustration to his first Q3 run. “The first round [in Q3] It was a bit of a shame, as there is a little more confidence for the second run if you have a first good round,” Leclerc explained. He cited traffic in the sector as a contributing factor. “I had two traffic in sector. But that’s how it is indeed. I am of course very frustrated,” he admitted. Despite feeling good in the car this weekend, Leclerc acknowledged, “We certainly know that this year we don’t quite have the car to fight for victories.” Missing pole by a tenth of a second was particularly frustrating,as winning from P2 in Monaco is “tricky.”
Ferrari Updates Hamilton’s Car
Following a crash in FT3, Ferrari provided updates to Lewis Hamilton’s car to ensure his participation in qualifying. According to Ferrari,”At Lewis’ car we exchanged our nose,the front wing and the right front hinge. We also replaced the entire rear, including the left and right suspension and the gear, as this is faster than the replacement of the damaged right rear suspension.”
Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying: Driver Reactions and Key Takeaways
Lando norris Secures Monaco Pole Position
Lando Norris of McLaren achieved pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix. He expressed his satisfaction wiht the teamS strategy and his performance.
What strategy did McLaren use during qualifying?
McLaren executed two quick laps at the end of the qualifying session. Norris stated that this strategy was “thought to be the best plan, and we stuck to it.”
How did Norris feel about his performance?
Norris expressed immense satisfaction, noting that qualifying has been a weakness for him this year. He added, “Especially here in Monaco, it feels grate,” and is “very proud of the whole team.”
Piastri’s viewpoint: Damage limitation
Oscar Piastri,finishing in P3,acknowledged a challenging weekend and focused on limiting damage.
How did Piastri describe his weekend?
Piastri described the weekend as ”unclean,” mentioning he “came across more walls this weekend than in my entire career.”
Verstappen’s Unexpected Qualifying Result
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen qualified in P5.
What challenges did Verstappen face?
Verstappen’s team noted a lack of grip at crucial moments,especially in the last sector. Helmut Marko from Sky stated, ”We just didn’t have the necessary grip at the crucial moment.”
Leclerc’s Disappointment with Q3
Charles Leclerc, qualifying P2, expressed disappointment with his Q3 performance, despite strong performances in the training sessions.
What contributed to Leclerc’s frustration?
Leclerc attributed his frustration to his first Q3 run and traffic, stating, “I had two traffic in sector”. He admitted, “I am of course very frustrated.”
Ferrari’s Updates for Hamilton
Following a crash in FT3, Ferrari provided updates to Lewis Hamilton’s car.
What updates did Ferrari make to Hamilton’s car?
Ferrari replaced the nose, front wing, right front hinge, and the entire rear including left and right suspension and the gear on Hamilton’s car.
key qualifying Results Summary
Here is a summary of the top qualifying positions and key driver performances:
| Driver | Team | Qualifying Position | Key Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | McLaren | P1 | Secured Pole Position; Happy with strategy and performance. |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | P2 | Disappointed with Q3 performance |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | P3 | Focused on damage limitation, described the weekend as ”unclean”. |
| max Verstappen | Red Bull | P5 | Struggled with grip, finishing behind previous FT3 performance. |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | – | Car updated after crash in FT3. |