Monaco Qualifying Expected To Be Tight As Ferrari Lead Practice, Leclerc Says

Charles Leclerc played down talk of clear Ferrari dominance after Friday practice at the Monaco Grand Prix, predicting a close Monaco Grand Prix qualifying battle. Ferrari headed both sessions, but Leclerc expects Red Bull and Mercedes to threaten when it matters on Saturday.

Leclerc topped first practice ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, before Hamilton set the pace in the later session with Leclerc behind. Max Verstappen ended second practice just 0.168 seconds slower than Hamilton, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli placing fourth and fifth for Mercedes.

Leclerc remained cautious despite the strong platform. Ferrari was the only team with both cars consistently near the front on Friday, yet Leclerc stressed that single-lap form can change quickly in Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, especially once rivals refine car balance and push harder on low fuel.

Leclerc was also Ferrari's sole representative in the media zone after practice. The local favourite, who took victory in Monaco in 2024, underlined the threat from Verstappen and Red Bull. "Red Bull and Max especially was very close to us in practice two, so I expect them to be very strong," said Leclerc.

Ferrari has a long record in Monaco, with 10 wins at the Monaco Grand Prix, most recently in 2024 with Leclerc. Only McLaren has more victories in the Principality with 16, but no team has more Monaco podiums than Ferrari, which holds 58 top-three finishes.

Leclerc has started from pole position in three of the last five Monaco Grands Prix, with Verstappen taking pole in 2023 and Lando Norris in 2025. Hamilton, meanwhile, is on a run of 39 races without a win, stretching back to the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.

Leclerc expects the field to compress once everyone turns fully to Monaco Grand Prix qualifying runs. "And I expect Mercedes as well to be very close once they put everything together in qualifying. So I think it will be a tight 'quali' and more than what people expect."

Rivals assess Ferrari before Monaco Grand Prix qualifying

Russell admitted that Ferrari looked like the benchmark but was surprised by Mercedes' deficit on shorter runs. "We expected Ferrari to be the guys to beat," said the British driver. "A lot of people thought that was just chat, but clearly, they are the team to beat. Red Bull have also been a bit of a surprise for us. We are doing everything we can to try and make those improvements. I do think we can close the gap. If we can over-commit, I'm not sure."

As teams switch focus fully to Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, Ferrari appears slightly ahead on pace, yet the gaps suggest a competitive fight. With Leclerc warning against assumptions and Russell confident Mercedes can respond, Saturday's session is set to define track position around Formula 1's tightest circuit.