2025 F1 Monaco Grand Prix Free Practice 1 Highlights

Charles Leclerc topped the timesheets in Free Practice 1 ahead of the 2025 F1 Monaco Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap of 1:11.964 in front of his home crowd. The opening session was far from smooth for Leclerc after he made contact with Lance Stroll early on.

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The incident forced repairs to his Ferrari’s front wing before he was able to rejoin the session and deliver the best time under pressure. Max Verstappen in the Red Bull was close behind at 1:12.127, just 0.163 seconds off the pace, keeping the fight for the top spot fierce as the championship race continues to intensify.

Lando Norris put his McLaren into third position with a time of 1:12.290, showcasing strong form as McLaren eyes another competitive weekend. Alexander Albon gave Williams fans something to cheer about by finishing fourth, recording a time of 1:12.314.

Oscar Piastri, current leader in the standings, rounded out the top five with 1:12.342 while running on the medium tire compound through much of the session, showing consistent pace and strategic tire choice.

Lewis Hamilton, new to Ferrari this season, had a mixed session after catching air and briefly losing control while exiting the Swimming Pool chicane. Despite the moment, Hamilton managed to bring the car home ninth with a 1:12.690.

George Russell continued to push Mercedes forward, taking sixth with a 1:12.482 lap. The session also saw Carlos Sainz in seventh for Williams and Pierre Gasly eighth for Alpine, reflecting close competition in the midfield.

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Fernando Alonso placed his Aston Martin tenth with a time of 1:12.727, making it five teams in the top ten. Lance Stroll’s accident with Leclerc brought out a brief red flag while his Aston Martin required significant attention, including suspension and gearbox work.

The repair job could impact his preparation for the remainder of the weekend. Several drivers faced tricky conditions as the tight street circuit demanded full concentration, especially in slow-speed corners like the famous Loews hairpin, where inches matter and small mistakes can turn costly.

The current driver standings show Oscar Piastri leading with 146 points, closely followed by McLaren teammate Lando Norris on 133, and Verstappen at 124 in third. McLaren’s strong showing in practice and in the points table puts additional pressure on Ferrari and Red Bull as the season moves forward. For more details on the championship standings, visit the official FIA Formula 1 website.

Hamilton and Leclerc hold fifth and sixth in the standings, as Ferrari works to claw back ground in both championships. With the Monaco Grand Prix scheduled for May 25, focus now turns to the rest of the weekend, including additional practice, qualifying, and Sunday’s race. For historical context on the Monaco Grand Prix, check out its Wikipedia page.

Teams are analyzing data and making adjustments as they search for every bit of performance on this tight circuit. Fans will be watching closely to see whether Leclerc can convert his Friday speed into a pole position and a long-awaited hometown victory. To learn more about the technical challenges of the Monaco circuit, explore this analysis by MIT Motorsports.

James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.