Leclerc Dominates Monaco GP Practice, Setting Pace for Ferrari at Home Race

The iconic streets of Monte Carlo roared to life as the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix weekend officially commenced, and it was local hero Charles Leclerc who immediately asserted his authority. Driving his formidable Ferrari F1-75, Leclerc delivered a flawless performance across both Friday practice sessions, topping the timing charts in FP1 and then once again in the crucial FP2. His consistent speed and mastery of the challenging street circuit have instantly positioned him as the clear favorite heading into Saturday’s qualifying.

Friday’s Performance: A Ferrari Showcase

Following a strong showing in the morning’s Free Practice 1, where he also claimed the top spot, Leclerc continued to impress in the afternoon. The second hour of running saw the Monegasque driver consolidate his advantage, posting a blistering fastest lap of 1’12.656. This sensational time put him just a fraction of a second – precisely 0.044 seconds – ahead of his talented Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz Jnr. The narrow margin between the two red cars signals Ferrari’s exceptional pace and strong understanding of the Monaco circuit’s unique demands, raising expectations for a thrilling qualifying battle.

A Challenging Start to FP2: Track Conditions and Early Strategies

The afternoon session unfolded under picturesque Monte Carlo skies, with clear conditions and brilliant sunshine bathing the circuit. Track temperatures remained remarkably consistent with those observed in the opening practice, hovering around 46 degrees Celsius initially before gradually cooling as the session progressed. This stability allowed teams to gather consistent data, though the inherent slipperiness of the street circuit meant grip levels were always a critical factor.

As the green light signaled the start of FP2, the majority of the field opted for the medium compound tires to begin their initial runs, aiming to build confidence and understand the track evolution. However, Ferrari made a notable strategic choice, sending both Leclerc and Sainz out on the hard tires from the outset. This decision allowed them to gather crucial data on the most durable compound, potentially saving their softer tires for later, more representative qualifying simulations. Meanwhile, Zhou Guanyu experienced a minor setback, his Alfa Romeo team working feverishly to complete final preparations, causing a slight delay in his garage exit.

The early phase of the session saw several drivers trading fastest laps. Sergio Perez in the Red Bull initially set the benchmark with a 1’14.001 on the medium tires, demonstrating Red Bull’s immediate pace. He was closely followed by his teammate Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Leclerc, despite being on the harder compound, quickly slotted into second, showcasing the raw speed of the Ferrari, while Pierre Gasly impressed by jumping into third for AlphaTauri.

Daniel Ricciardo’s Costly Crash at the Swimming Pool

The session took a dramatic turn approximately 15 minutes in when a significant incident brought out the red flags. Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo, navigating the incredibly tight and unforgiving Swimming Pool section, lost control of his McLaren MCL36. The car initially made contact with the outside barriers at Turn 14 before violently slamming into the TecPro barriers at the second part of the chicane. The impact resulted in substantial damage to his McLaren, particularly the front-right suspension and chassis. Fortunately, Ricciardo emerged from the wreckage unharmed, able to walk back to the McLaren garage, albeit with a visibly disappointed demeanor. The session was temporarily suspended while marshals worked diligently to clear the heavily damaged car and repair the protective barriers, causing a crucial interruption to everyone’s running plans.

The Soft Tire Battle: Leclerc vs. Verstappen

Once the session resumed, with the track now clear of debris, teams wasted no time in switching their focus to the soft compound tires. These red-walled tires are critical for qualifying pace and provide maximum grip on the twisting Monte Carlo street circuit, albeit for a very limited lifespan. Drivers embarked on their qualifying simulations, pushing their cars to the absolute limit around the demanding track layout.

Charles Leclerc, now equipped with the grippier soft tires, immediately unleashed the full potential of his Ferrari, leaping to the top of the standings. However, his lead was short-lived as Max Verstappen briefly snatched P1, demonstrating the fierce competition between the championship rivals. Verstappen’s time was just under a tenth quicker than Leclerc’s, setting the stage for an intense fight. Undeterred, Leclerc responded almost immediately, digging deeper and improving his time to reclaim the fastest lap with the eventual session-topping 1’12.656. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, followed suit, clocking a lap just fractionally slower, solidifying Ferrari’s powerful one-two punch at the top of the leaderboard.

Close Shaves and the Unforgiving Nature of Monaco

The inherent challenges of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit were underscored by numerous drivers having tense encounters with the unforgiving barriers throughout the session. The narrow confines and high speeds leave no margin for error, and even the slightest misjudgment can lead to significant consequences.

Lando Norris, after demonstrating strong pace, had to abort one of his crucial runs after clipping the wall on the entry to the Anthony Noghes corner. This minor contact caused damage to his front wing endplate, necessitating a trip back to the pits for repairs. Similarly, George Russell in his Mercedes W13 also made light contact with the barriers, scuffing his right-front wheel. Fortunately for Russell, the damage appeared to be purely superficial, allowing him to continue his program without significant interruption, but serving as a stark reminder of the circuit’s perils.

Final Moments and the Chequered Flag

As the session drew to a close, several front-running drivers, including Leclerc, Sainz, and Verstappen, made late attempts on fresh soft tires to improve their single-lap times. However, the rapidly evolving track conditions and the inherent difficulty in extracting peak performance consistently meant that none of the top drivers managed to improve upon their earlier benchmark laps. When the chequered flag eventually waved, it was Charles Leclerc who comfortably remained at the pinnacle for the second time of the day, signaling a highly promising start to his home Grand Prix weekend.

The final standings saw Sergio Perez secure an impressive third place for Red Bull, three-tenths shy of Leclerc’s pace. Max Verstappen finished just behind his teammate in fourth, a mere half-tenth separating the two Red Bulls, highlighting their competitive, if not dominant, standing. Lando Norris, despite his earlier mishap, recovered well to finish the session fifth, followed by George Russell and Pierre Gasly, who continued to show strong form. Veterans Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel demonstrated their enduring skill to secure eighth and ninth places respectively. Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten, although his session ended under the shadow of a stewards’ investigation for allegedly impeding Kevin Magnussen, a situation that could alter his grid position for qualifying.

2022 Monaco Grand Prix Second Practice Result

Position	Number	Driver	Team	Model	Time	Gap	Laps
1	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	F1-75	1’12.656		30
2	55	Carlos Sainz Jnr	Ferrari	F1-75	1’12.700	0.044	32
3	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull	RB18	1’13.035	0.379	31
4	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	RB18	1’13.103	0.447	33
5	4	Lando Norris	McLaren-Mercedes	MCL36	1’13.294	0.638	24
6	63	George Russell	Mercedes	W13	1’13.406	0.750	31
7	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri-Red Bull	AT03	1’13.636	0.980	32
8	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine-Renault	A522	1’13.912	1.256	31
9	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin-Mercedes	AMR22	1’14.059	1.403	31
10	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri-Red Bull	AT03	1’14.134	1.478	27
11	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas-Ferrari	VF-22	1’14.239	1.583	31
12	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	W13	1’14.267	1.611	29
13	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	C42	1’14.468	1.812	28
14	23	Alexander Albon	Williams-Mercedes	FW44	1’14.486	1.830	33
15	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo-Ferrari	C42	1’14.525	1.869	22
16	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin-Mercedes	AMR22	1’14.623	1.967	29
17	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas-Ferrari	VF-22	1’14.894	2.238	32
18	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine-Renault	A522	1’15.216	2.560	33
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams-Mercedes	FW44	1’16.276	3.620	33
20	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren-Mercedes	MCL36	No time		2

Ferrari’s Leclerc Dominates Practice Two, Ricciardo Crashes