Leclerc Dominates, Alonso Crash.
Leclerc Dominates Monaco Practice, While Alonso Survives Dramatic Crash Unscathed.
Charles Leclerc set the pace in Free Practice 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix, posting a lap of 1:13.978 to top the timesheets ahead of Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. The session ended under a red flag after Fernando Alonso clipped a barrier at the Nouvelle Chicane, leaving front-wing debris on the track. The Aston Martin driver walked away unhurt from the scary crash La Provincia.
Ferrari's SF-26 is emerging as the car to beat on the streets of Monte Carlo. Rivals have pointed to its shorter wheelbase and superior low-speed grip as key advantages on this tight, narrow circuit. Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams, finished 12th, while Alonso ended the session in last place — 20th — after his accident Diario de Mallorca.
Ferrari Locks Out the Top Two Spots in FP1
Leclerc leads Hamilton by 0.226 seconds, giving Ferrari a dominant one-two to open the Monaco weekend. Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, 0.513 seconds off the pace. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli — the championship leader — came in fourth, 0.559 seconds behind. According to LNE, Ferrari holds roughly three tenths of a second advantage over the field in pure low-speed corners.
Antonelli did not hide his concern after the session. The 19-year-old said Ferrari is "going to be the team to beat in Monaco" and pointed to a rear aerodynamic device on the SF-26, saying it gives the car "a lot of downforce." Leclerc was more cautious. He said: "If there's one track I would bet on us, it's probably Monaco. But Mercedes remain the team to beat" El Periódico de Aragón.
Alonso's Late Crash Ends Session Early for Aston Martin
With just minutes left in the session, Alonso lost the rear of his Aston Martin AMR26 at the Nouvelle Chicane. He hit the barrier and scattered front-wing parts across the track. Race control immediately showed the red flag. The session did not restart El Correo Gallego.
The crash was not entirely a surprise. Before FP1, Alonso warned that "random downshifts" from Aston Martin's new in-house gearbox could make drivers "look stupid" by sending them into the wall. The Spanish veteran is also dealing with extreme vibrations from the new hardware throughout the 2026 season. Aston Martin must now check whether the gearbox issue caused Friday's accident La Opinión de Málaga.
Hadjar's Earlier Crash Also Stopped the Session
Alonso was not the only driver to hit the barriers on Friday. Red Bull's Isack Hadjar had a heavy crash at the Swimming Pool chicane around the 35-minute mark. His car suffered significant damage, forcing a red flag that lasted about eight minutes. Hadjar said over the radio: "I don't understand why it snapped off like that. I'm sorry" El Día.
Red Bull faces a major repair job on the RB22 before FP2. The team must rebuild the car quickly so Hadjar can participate in the afternoon session and gather data. With so little track time available at Monaco, missing any practice is a serious setback Diario Córdoba.
Why Monaco Could End Mercedes' Five-Race Winning Streak
Mercedes has won all five races so far in the 2026 season. Antonelli leads the championship by 43 points over teammate George Russell. But Monaco may be different. The FIA disabled active aerodynamics for this street circuit. That decision removes one of Mercedes' main advantages and, according to experts, "unleashes" the Ferrari SF-26 El Periódico Mediterráneo.
If Leclerc or Hamilton takes pole on Saturday, it will be the first time in 2026 that a non-Mercedes car starts from the front row. Overtaking in Monaco is nearly impossible — just four passes were recorded in last year's race. That makes qualifying the most important battle of the entire weekend La Opinión de Zamora.
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