Verstappen Masters Monaco Friday Practice Amidst Sainz Crash Drama

The iconic streets of Monte Carlo delivered an action-packed Friday for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen asserting Red Bull’s early dominance by topping the Free Practice 2 session. The Dutchman’s blistering pace set him apart from the competition, but the session was also marked by high drama when Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr crashed heavily into the barriers, prematurely ending his promising run.

Verstappen’s ultimate fastest lap narrowly edged out the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sainz, underlining the tight competition expected at this challenging circuit. However, Sainz’s incident at the notoriously unforgiving exit of the Swimming Pool chicane sent a stark reminder of Monaco’s zero-tolerance policy for error, leaving his Ferrari significantly damaged and bringing out the red flags with 20 minutes still left on the clock.

Perfect Conditions Set the Stage for High-Stakes Practice

Following a busy opening session, drivers were once again greeted by pristine clear blue skies and comfortably warm temperatures as they embarked on the second and final hour of practice for the day. These ideal conditions offered teams a prime opportunity to gather crucial data on tyre performance, car balance, and overall pace ahead of the all-important qualifying session on Saturday. Most teams opted to send their cars out on the medium compound tyres for their initial runs, a sensible strategy to bed in the car and understand the track evolution before switching to the softer, faster compounds. Ferrari, however, took a slightly different approach, starting both their cars on the hard compound tyres to assess their durability and performance over longer stints.

Not all cars were immediately part of the early track action. Alexander Albon, unfortunately, remained confined to the Williams garage. His mechanics were engaged in an intense race against time, working diligently to repair the significant damage sustained by his car after a shunt into the barriers during the closing moments of the first practice session. Missing track time in Monaco is particularly detrimental, as every lap is vital for driver confidence and car setup. Similarly, Lando Norris also found himself temporarily sidelined in the McLaren pit box, with his team focusing on adjustments and repairs to the front of his car, albeit for a less critical period than Albon.

The Evolving Pace: Early Leaders and Soft Tyre Charges

As the session gained momentum, it was Aston Martin’s veteran Fernando Alonso who set the first truly representative lap time, clocking an impressive 1’14.611. His early pace underscored Aston Martin’s continued strong form this season. However, it wasn’t long before Max Verstappen, ever the pacesetter, became the first driver of the day to dip into the 1’13s, immediately seizing the quickest time. His Red Bull team mate, Sergio Perez, followed suit, albeit nearly three-tenths slower, briefly putting the two Red Bulls at the top. Alonso, not one to be outdone, quickly improved his time to split the Red Bull duo, demonstrating the AMR23’s genuine potential.

Lewis Hamilton, driving the much-anticipated upgraded Mercedes W14, then briefly lit up the timing screens, narrowly eclipsing Verstappen’s best by an astonishing one-thousandth of a second. This fleeting moment at the top offered a tantalizing glimpse of Mercedes’ potential improvements with their new package. However, the championship leader, Verstappen, swiftly responded, shaving a further tenth off his personal best to emphatically reclaim the top spot. Meanwhile, Lando Norris, after his minor delay, was finally unleashed onto the track, completing his first laps in the McLaren about ten minutes into the session, eager to make up for lost time.

Following a period of garage adjustments and fine-tuning by the teams, the focus shifted dramatically to qualifying simulations on the soft compound tyres. Fernando Alonso was among the first to bolt on the quickest rubber of the weekend. He absolutely blitzed around the Monaco circuit, delivering a sensational 1’12.786 to go easily fastest of all, highlighting his exceptional talent and the Aston Martin’s strong setup. The two Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, also found significant pace on the softs, moving within roughly four-tenths of a second of Alonso. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon further impressed by slotting into second place, just ahead of the Mercedes pair, showcasing Alpine’s competitive spirit in the midfield.

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Ferrari’s Mixed Fortunes and Sainz’s Costly Error

Next, it was Ferrari’s highly anticipated turn to deploy the soft tyres, and they did not disappoint. Carlos Sainz Jnr, who had shown blistering pace in the first practice session, immediately capitalized, leaping to the front of the timesheets with an impressive 1’12.569. His team mate, Charles Leclerc, despite pushing hard on his home circuit, could not quite match Sainz’s benchmark on the softs, settling for third fastest at that point. Max Verstappen also completed his soft tyre run, replacing Leclerc in third, 0.168 seconds slower than Sainz’s leading time. This intense battle at the top promised a thrilling qualifying session.

With just over 20 minutes remaining in the session, Max Verstappen unleashed another phenomenal lap. He improved his time to a 1’12.462, reclaiming the top spot by a decisive tenth of a second over Sainz’s previous best. Not to be outdone, Charles Leclerc also found more pace, moving into second place, just over half a tenth adrift of Verstappen and narrowly ahead of his Ferrari team mate. The margins at the top were incredibly fine, setting the stage for the dramatic moments that were about to unfold.

Still pushing for improvements and determined to reclaim the fastest time, Carlos Sainz continued his charge on his soft tyres. However, the unforgiving nature of Monaco struck again. Approaching the exit of the iconic Swimming Pool chicane, a section demanding absolute precision and commitment, Sainz misjudged his line. He clipped the inside barrier, which instantly damaged his suspension, sending his Ferrari SF-23 uncontrollably towards the outside wall. The impact was significant, leaving his car severely damaged and stranded at the side of the road. The immediate deployment of red flags was necessary to ensure the safe recovery of Sainz’s Ferrari, effectively ending his session prematurely and adding an element of uncertainty to Ferrari’s weekend plans.

Resumption and Final Laps: Focus Shifts to Race Pace

When the session eventually resumed after Sainz’s recovery, only a little over ten minutes of running time remained. As cars poured back onto the track, eager to make the most of the dwindling minutes, Alexander Albon finally emerged from the Williams garage. His mechanics had completed their extensive repairs, allowing him to join his fellow drivers on track for the very first time in FP2, though his limited running severely hampered his preparation for the crucial Saturday sessions.

In the frantic final minutes, there were no major improvements at the very top of the timesheets. With the red flag having eaten into valuable qualifying simulation time, teams appeared to shift their focus towards longer runs and higher fuel loads, gathering data on race pace and tyre degradation. This strategic adjustment meant the leaderboard remained largely unchanged. When the chequered flag finally waved, signifying the end of the hour, Max Verstappen was confirmed as the fastest driver of the session, his dominant lap holding firm. He was just six hundredths of a second quicker than the local hero Charles Leclerc, and a tenth ahead of the unlucky Carlos Sainz, who despite his crash, still held onto third position.

Key Takeaways and The Road Ahead

Fernando Alonso solidified Aston Martin’s impressive form by securing fourth place, proving he is a genuine contender once again. Lando Norris recovered admirably from his early garage time to claim an excellent fifth position for McLaren, indicating the team’s potential. Lewis Hamilton brought his updated Mercedes home in sixth, demonstrating the car’s improved performance, though still a few tenths off the ultimate pace. Sergio Perez, typically strong in Monaco, finished seventh, highlighting a slight gap to his teammate Verstappen, while Valtteri Bottas put in a solid performance for Alfa Romeo in eighth. The two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten, showcasing their consistent midfield presence.

Friday’s practice sessions have set a thrilling precedent for the rest of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. While Max Verstappen and Red Bull appear to hold a slight advantage, the Ferraris, particularly Charles Leclerc, remain dangerously close, especially on home turf. Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso continue to be dark horses, always ready to pounce. The significant crash by Carlos Sainz serves as a stark reminder of the circuit’s perils and could impact Ferrari’s strategic options. All eyes now turn to Saturday’s qualifying, where grid position is notoriously critical, and even more so in Monaco where overtaking is a rare commodity. The stage is set for an electrifying battle for pole position on the legendary streets of the Principality.

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2023 Monaco Grand Prix Second Practice Results

Position	Number	Driver	Team	Model	Time	Gap	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull-Honda RBPT	RB19	1’12.462		30
2	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	SF-23	1’12.527	0.065	33
3	55	Carlos Sainz Jnr	Ferrari	SF-23	1’12.569	0.107	22
4	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin-Mercedes	AMR23	1’12.682	0.220	32
5	4	Lando Norris	McLaren-Mercedes	MCL60	1’12.906	0.444	18
6	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	W14	1’12.960	0.498	29
7	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull-Honda RBPT	RB19	1’12.991	0.529	30
8	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	C43	1’13.050	0.588	33
9	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine-Renault	A523	1’13.089	0.627	28
10	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine-Renault	A523	1’13.162	0.700	30
11	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin-Mercedes	AMR23	1’13.185	0.723	31
12	63	George Russell	Mercedes	W14	1’13.191	0.729	32
13	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	C43	1’13.354	0.892	32
14	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas-Ferrari	VF-23	1’13.457	0.995	28
15	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas-Ferrari	VF-23	1’13.520	1.058	33
16	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT	AT04	1’13.641	1.179	22
17	21	Nyck de Vries	AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT	AT04	1’13.663	1.201	34
18	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren-Mercedes	MCL60	1’13.673	1.211	30
19	23	Alexander Albon	Williams-Mercedes	FW45	1’14.217	1.755	10
20	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams-Mercedes	FW45	1’14.238	1.776	33

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Further Reading: 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

• Mercedes Ready to “Grind” Their Way to Competitiveness After Major W14 Update
• Verstappen Surpasses Vettel as Winner of Most Races for Red Bull
• How the First Team to Fit Intermediate Tyres in Monaco Got the Call Right
• Verstappen’s Monaco Pole Run Was the Completion of His 2021 Jeddah Lap – Horner
• Haas Thrilled as Upgrade Performance Exceeds Wind Tunnel Predictions

Browse all 2023 Monaco Grand Prix articles