Max Verstappen narrowly topped Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in final practice in Monaco; Lewis Hamilton crashes upgraded Mercedes after showing signs of potential; watch Monaco GP Qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 from 2:30pm on Saturday
Last Updated: 27/05/23 12:56pm
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lewis Hamilton brings out the red flag after hitting the wall at Mirabeau and the session will not be resumed with the Mercedes wedged in the barriers
Lewis Hamilton brings out the red flag after hitting the wall at Mirabeau and the session will not be resumed with the Mercedes wedged in the barriers
Max Verstappen edged Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in final practice at the Monaco Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton crashed ahead of what promises to be a thrilling qualifying session later on Saturday.
World championship leader Verstappen’s time of 1:12.776 saw him finish seven-hundredths of a second clear of his nearest challenger in the drivers’ standings, Perez.
While the one-two points to continued domination for Red Bull, plenty of mystery remains going into the most crucial qualifying session of the season, with overtaking in Sunday’s race notoriously difficult.
Several drivers, including Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who finished 14th, failed to get clean flying laps in during the final 60 minutes, leaving doubt as to the Spaniard’s true pace.
The fact his team-mate Lance Stroll was just 0.166s behind Verstappen in third suggests there is more to come from Alonso, who has outperformed the Canadian in every qualifying session this season.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Max Verstappen clips the barriers at Turn 1 as he tests the limits of the Monaco track in Practice Three
Carlos Sainz, who topped first practice for Ferrari on Friday, was fourth, with team-mate Charles Leclerc in seventh as his hopes of a third successive pole at his home circuit appeared to fade with the SF23 struggling for grip.
Meanwhile, Hamilton, who finished eighth, had set the fastest first sector of the session before losing control and hitting the barrier at the exit of Mirabeau, resulting in a red flag that saw the session ended five minutes early.
There appears to be potential in the heavily upgraded W14, but Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell could only manage 11th having also struggled on Friday.
Lando Norris impressed once more by repeating the fifth place he took in second practice for McLaren, while Pierre Gasly was sixth for Alpine.
More to follow…