Monaco F1 Grand Prix Qualifying: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Will Start 1-2

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc seized pole position for his home Grand Prix for a second successive season after a one-lap masterclass in Monaco.

Leclerc posted a time of 1 minute, 11.376 seconds on his first push lap in the pole shootout to sit atop the standings, and that time remained unbeaten amid a bizarre conclusion to the session.

Sergio Perez crashed through the Portier corner and Carlos Sainz slid into the wreckage, blocking the track, and bringing the session to a premature end. That secured pole for Leclerc, who was on a potentially faster lap ahead of the wreckage when the red flags were flown.

It also marked Leclerc’s fifth pole from seven attempts in 2022, bringing his career total to 14, leveling with Max Verstappen.

Despite the incident Sainz (1:11.601) was able to complete a 1-2 for Ferrari, with Perez (1:11.629) third, while last year’s Monaco winner Verstappen was a low-key fourth.

Leclerc famously claimed pole last year before crashing in the closing stages and sustaining damage that left him unable to start. He has yet to finish his home Grand Prix—a statistic he will strive to correct from the opportune starting position.

“The first lap was good, obviously I waited for Q3 to start and push, and then it was a really good lap,” Leclerc said. “The one I’m particularly happy about was the second lap in Q3, which I didn’t get to finish, but this was really, really good.”

Sainz will make it an all-red front row on Sunday but was left to rue what might have been.