The iconic streets of Monaco roared to life as the 2023 Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend commenced with a thrilling first practice session. In a promising start for the Scuderia, Carlos Sainz Jnr steered his Ferrari to the top of the timings, marking the first time in the 2023 season that the Maranello squad led a practice session. His impressive performance set the stage for what promises to be an intensely competitive weekend on the principality’s unforgiving circuit.
The picturesque setting of Monaco greeted teams and drivers with quintessential sunny skies and warm ambient temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius as the pit lane officially opened for the season’s most glamorous race weekend. The conditions were ideal for early setup work, allowing drivers to push the limits of their machines without the added complication of challenging weather. From the moment the green light signalled the start of FP1, the unique challenge of Monaco was immediately apparent.
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Sergio Perez was the first driver to emerge from the Red Bull garage, eager to get an early feel for the demanding street circuit. Most of the grid opted for the hard compound tyres for their initial reconnaissance laps, aiming to gather crucial data and understand the track’s evolution. However, a select few, including Lando Norris and both Ferrari drivers, daringly began their session on the medium compound. It was Norris who initially set the benchmark, posting an early 1’16.875, showcasing McLaren’s early pace.
As the session progressed, the Ferraris, known for their strong performance on street circuits, quickly demonstrated their potential. Home hero Charles Leclerc delighted the Monegasque crowd by breaking the 1’16s barrier, momentarily placing his SF-23 at the top of the leaderboard. Not to be outdone, his teammate Carlos Sainz pushed hard, swiftly claiming the second spot, albeit after a minor brush with the inside barrier on the exit of the treacherous Swimming Pool chicane. This early incident served as a stark reminder of the precision and commitment required to master the narrow confines of Monaco.
Sainz soon bettered his teammate, leapfrogging to the top with a commanding 1’14.401, creating an early Ferrari one-two, with Leclerc just over a tenth of a second behind. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso continued to impress, slotting his Aston Martin into third on the harder compound tyres, underlining the competitive form of the Silverstone-based team. His teammate, Lance Stroll, also experienced a small moment, nudging the outside wall with his left-rear wheel on the exit of Anthony Noghes, thankfully without incurring any significant damage.
With just over half of the session elapsed, many drivers returned to the pit lane. This crucial period allowed teams to make setup adjustments, gather driver feedback on initial runs, and strategize for the remainder of the session. It was during this phase that Williams driver Logan Sargeant reported a worrying issue while driving through the tunnel section, expressing concerns that one of his wheels felt insecure. Upon returning to the garage, the Williams mechanics faced a frustrating struggle to remove his right-rear wheel, a testament to the unforeseen challenges that can arise even in practice sessions.
After a period of adjustments, Lewis Hamilton emerged on track, fitting the grippier medium compound tyres to his heavily revised Mercedes W14. This Monaco Grand Prix marked a significant milestone for Mercedes, as they introduced a major upgrade package, including a revised sidepod concept, in a bid to close the performance gap to their rivals. Hamilton immediately showcased the potential of the updated car, going quickest of all on his very first timed lap with a 1’14.035. Alonso, maintaining his strong form, then went second, just half a tenth slower than his former McLaren teammate, signalling Aston Martin’s genuine contention.
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The session’s intensity escalated dramatically when Nico Hulkenberg encountered trouble at the challenging chicane. Clipping the inside barrier as he turned in, the Haas driver ripped his left-rear tyre from its rim. Although Hulkenberg managed to nurse his damaged car back to the pits, the session was promptly red-flagged due to the significant amount of debris scattered just off the racing line. This incident, while minor in terms of driver injury, highlighted the immediate consequences of even a slight misjudgment on the unforgiving Monte Carlo circuit, halting valuable track time for the entire field.
When the session eventually resumed with approximately 20 minutes remaining, drivers wasted no time in heading back out to make up for lost time. Fernando Alonso, ever the strategist, opted to continue his run on the same set of medium tyres he had been using. Demonstrating exceptional car control and pace, he immediately went quickest of all, logging the first sub-1’14 lap of the session. However, Alonso’s time at the summit was short-lived. Carlos Sainz, now on a second, fresh set of medium tyres, responded magnificently, pipping Alonso by a mere half a tenth to reclaim the top spot for Ferrari in a captivating battle for supremacy.
As the clock wound down into the final five minutes, disaster struck again, triggering a second red flag. Alexander Albon, pushing hard in his Williams, lost the rear of his car on the approach to Sainte Devote, sliding into the barriers and causing substantial damage to the left-hand side of his car. With only a handful of minutes remaining and significant debris on the track, race control decided against restarting the session. This unfortunate incident effectively cemented Carlos Sainz’s position as the fastest driver in the opening practice session of the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, a strong statement from the Spanish driver and Ferrari.
The final standings saw Alonso secure a commendable second place, three-tenths shy of the leading Ferrari, affirming Aston Martin’s consistent competitive edge. Lewis Hamilton’s third-fastest time for Mercedes, particularly with the new upgrades, offered a much-needed glimmer of hope for the Silver Arrows. Sergio Perez brought his Red Bull home in fourth, a solid but not dominant showing from the reigning constructors’ champions. Charles Leclerc, the local hero, rounded out the top five in the second Ferrari, demonstrating that both Maranello cars have strong potential this weekend. Intriguingly, championship leader Max Verstappen endured a more challenging session, finishing a relatively subdued sixth. The Dutch driver expressed clear unhappiness with the balance of his RB19, with the team unable to make some of the fundamental setup changes he desired until the break before the crucial second practice session, underscoring the unique setup demands of Monaco.
Rounding out the top ten were Lando Norris in seventh, demonstrating McLaren’s improved form; Esteban Ocon in eighth for Alpine; Lance Stroll in ninth, recovering from his earlier touch; and Alexander Albon, despite his late crash, still managing to hold onto tenth place for Williams, highlighting the strong laps he had put in before his incident.
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2023 Monaco Grand Prix First Practice Result
The full results from the opening practice session at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix are as follows, providing a preliminary look at the pecking order on this legendary circuit:
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’13.372 | 26 | |
| 2 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’13.710 | 0.338 | 28 |
| 3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W14 | 1’14.035 | 0.663 | 27 |
| 4 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’14.038 | 0.666 | 27 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’14.093 | 0.721 | 24 |
| 6 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB19 | 1’14.244 | 0.872 | 26 |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’14.467 | 1.095 | 25 |
| 8 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’14.585 | 1.213 | 29 |
| 9 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’14.653 | 1.281 | 28 |
| 10 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’14.666 | 1.294 | 32 |
| 11 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’14.718 | 1.346 | 29 |
| 12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’14.725 | 1.353 | 29 |
| 13 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’14.820 | 1.448 | 29 |
| 14 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’14.866 | 1.494 | 30 |
| 15 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W14 | 1’15.066 | 1.694 | 24 |
| 16 | 21 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT | AT04 | 1’15.083 | 1.711 | 33 |
| 17 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’15.192 | 1.820 | 32 |
| 18 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’15.557 | 2.185 | 30 |
| 19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’15.684 | 2.312 | 25 |
| 20 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’15.785 | 2.413 | 17 |
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Further Insights into the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix
To delve deeper into the narratives and developments surrounding this thrilling race weekend, explore the following related articles:
- 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
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