Antonelli Takes Lead
Kimi Antonelli Dominates Monaco Free Practice, Outpacing Ferrari; Alonso Struggles
Kimi Antonelli stamped his authority on the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix weekend by topping Saturday's third free practice session with a 1:12.720 lap — the only sub-1:13 time of the day. The Mercedes rookie, who leads the Formula 1 World Championship, beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton by more than three-tenths of a second, according to El Día.
While Mercedes surged, Aston Martin collapsed. Fernando Alonso finished 21st and penultimate, nearly 2.8 seconds off the pace. His teammate Lance Stroll was last. Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams, ended up 12th, as Diario de Ibiza reported.
Antonelli Finds the Window Ferrari Could Not
Antonelli's lap came on soft tires just after the 1:05 PM mark. His time of 1:12.720 left Leclerc at +0.327 and Hamilton at +0.331. George Russell was fourth for Mercedes at 1:13.483. Max Verstappen in the Red Bull slotted in fifth at 1:13.662. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "We are very positively surprised. Kimi's lap was fast, but we must stay wary of Ferrari; Leclerc's aborted sectors were very close."
Analysts suggest Antonelli's youth is an advantage under the 2026 rules. Having less experience with the older ground-effect cars from 2022–2025, he has adapted faster to the energy-heavy driving style the new regulations demand, according to El Periódico de Aragón.
Ferrari's Brake Crisis Haunts Leclerc at Home
For Ferrari, the session was not clean. Leclerc, the home favorite racing on his own streets in Monaco, openly vented his frustration over team radio: "These brakes are horrendous — horrendous." The 2026 rules require drivers to recover energy under braking, and Ferrari's system is struggling with the extra demands, according to La Opinión de Málaga.
A red flag midway through the session also disrupted rhythm. Oliver Bearman's Haas crashed heavily at Massenet after bottoming out. When the session restarted with just four minutes left, no top-ten driver improved their time. The track was dirty and traffic made clean laps impossible, Información reported.
Alonso Calls 2026 Hybrids Unfit to Race
Fernando Alonso's weekend has been a nightmare. He clocked a 1:15.567 in FP3, nearly 2.85 seconds behind Antonelli. His problems started Friday in FP1 with "random downshifts" and a light wall contact at the Chicane. He finished 20th in FP2. Alonso did not hold back in his verdict on the new machinery, according to Diario Córdoba.
"Hybrid cars should not be racing. It's as simple as that," Alonso said. "The way you charge the battery creates a lot of inconsistency in the engine braking." Aston Martin moved to a works Honda engine for 2026, but engine vibrations and gearbox sync faults have left both Alonso and Stroll as passengers, as El Correo Gallego noted.
Pole Position Could Decide the Monaco Race Outcome
In Monaco, qualifying is everything. Overtaking on the narrow street circuit is nearly impossible. If Antonelli converts his FP3 pace into pole at 3:00 PM local time, he would become the youngest driver to start from the front row in Monaco history and extend his World Championship lead, La Provincia reported.
Aston Martin faces a deeper problem beyond this weekend. Team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa admitted there is "no light at the end of the tunnel" yet. If the gearbox sync faults are not fixed before Sunday's race, Alonso has hinted the team may not be able to compete safely at all, according to El Periódico Mediterráneo.
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