LIVE: Thrilling 2025 F1 Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying Action

Charles Leclerc enters qualifying for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix after leading every practice session at his home track. The Ferrari driver has looked confident all weekend, topping the timesheets in FP1, FP2, and the crucial FP3 session.

His fastest run came despite a late crash from teammate Lewis Hamilton, who managed to walk away from the incident and is expected to take part in qualifying. Leclerc’s consistency has given fans hope for another strong performance, as he aims to secure a fourth pole position in the last five Monaco Grands Prix.

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have shown competitive pace as well, staying close to Leclerc’s times in practice. Verstappen, representing Red Bull, continues to be a key rival.

Norris, now a Grand Prix winner, is focused on building McLaren’s challenge, with Oscar Piastri backing him up near the top of the standings. Norris sits second in the Drivers’ Championship with 133 points, just behind his teammate Piastri’s 146.

Verstappen is third with 124 points, making this a tight and unpredictable fight among the top teams heading into qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton’s accident brought out the red flag at Casino Square during FP3. His car suffered notable damage to the front end and right side, but Ferrari’s mechanics have been working quickly to prepare it for qualifying.

Earlier in the weekend, Hamilton also faced drama with infringements during red flag periods. Franco Colapinto was another driver under scrutiny, having been summoned to the stewards after a similar situation involving Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz of Williams has faced investigations for red flag incidents, adding a layer of tension for several teams.

Recent changes to race regulations may influence strategy in Sunday’s main event. Drivers must now use at least three sets of tires, effectively making two pit stops mandatory over the 78 laps, unless interrupted by a red flag. This rule was introduced to make the iconic Monaco race livelier, as previous years have seen limited overtaking and little change in the order. The unique layout of the Monte Carlo circuit, with its tight corners and narrow streets, keeps qualifying crucial.

In the last ten years, six winners have started from pole, highlighting how grid position often decides victory here.

Comparing qualifying performance, Leclerc leads Hamilton 6-1 for Ferrari this season. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri enters this session slightly ahead of Norris in their qualifying head-to-head, 4-3.

At Red Bull, Verstappen is perfect in qualifying against teammate Yuki Tsunoda, leading 5-0, while George Russell is ahead of Kimi Antonelli 6-1 at Mercedes. Teams like Sauber have yet to reach Q3 at any race, showing how tough competition has been in 2025.

This weekend’s event is round eight of the Formula 1 season, with Monaco always drawing high attention for its glamour and difficulty. The top drivers and teams are again at the center of the story, but unpredictable sessions and new rules could shuffle the order.

Qualifying is scheduled for 3:00 PM local time on Saturday. The outcome will set the stage for Sunday’s Grand Prix, where the battle for the world championship continues to develop. Fans are keeping close watch as one of the sport’s most legendary races gets underway.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.