Max Verstappen claims pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has claimed pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix, storming to the top spot on the final lap ahead of Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc. The Red Bull driver was at the top of the timings sheet throughout the whole of the sunny qualifying and took pole with a lap time of 1:11.365.

Esteban Ocon took the fourth spot, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton. Pierre Gasly, George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris rounded out the top 10.

Sergio Perez has a lot of work to do tomorrow now as he starts from 20th on the grid, following a collision with the barrier in Q1 that ended his session early and caused a red flag.

Perez crashes out of qualifying

As expected, traffic was a major factor in timing from the start and Verstappen and Perez flew into the lead. Cars were dodging their rivals as they sped around the marina, and soon enough, Alonso and Stroll found themselves within a tenth of the two Red Bull drivers.

Despite the flying start, a red flag was flown only seven minutes in as Perez collided with the barrier at Saint Devote, ending his qualifying session and potential hopes of a strong finish tomorrow. The Mexican came into Turn 1 with too much speed and never had a chance to make the corner, 

Before the red flag was flown, however, Norris, Piastri and Zhou all pushed ahead of the Red Bull duo, with the track speed forever improving.

After the restart, teams came flying out of the pits and Verstappen soon regained his lead. Ferrari were visibly struggling compared to their rivals, but Leclerc still managed to place his car within the top five.

Although the so-called ‘favourites’ found the speed to place themselves safely into Q2, the grid was so unpredictable, with drivers finding pace throughout the grid.

As the chequered flag crept ever closer, drivers were reaching deep into their bags, pulling out milliseconds where possible. Tsunoda stole the lead off Verstappen after a purple Sector 1, but it was all to play for on Hamilton and Sainz’s final laps as they were up for elimination.

Sainz was able to push himself up to fourth, whilst Hamilton found seventh place, meaning Perez was the only shock exit in Q1.

OUT IN Q1 - Sargeant, Magnussen, Hulkenberg, Zhou, Perez

Hamilton struggles but finds Q3 on final lap

Verstappen came storming out the pits and solidified his position at the top, once again, but a battle for second place followed suit. Russell placed his Mercedes there first, but after six driver changes, it was Gasly behind his former teammate holding second place.

Alonso and Aston Martin seemed to hold some pace back during the practice session before qualifying, but after his flying lap, he found himself only 0.069 seconds off of Verstappen in the lead.

Mercedes were struggling for pace in the first half of Q2, so the team called both drivers in for a double pit stop, in an attempt to solidify a position in Q3.

Russell was able to improve from 11th up to third, after a purple Sector 1, whilst Hamilton moved out of the elimination zone, but only one place up to tenth.

Leclerc may have had the clearest lap of the whole weekend so far, hitting barely any traffic, allowing him to push his Ferrari up to second.

Norris was pushing into Tabac corner and hit the dirty racing line, forcing him into the barrier after clipping his front left

Stroll entered the pits, aborting his final flying lap and missed out on a position in Q3. At the same time, Hamilton was able to find a strong final sector and pushed himself out of the elimination zone, up to fifth place.

OUT IN Q2 - Piastri, de Vries, Albon, Stroll, Bottas

Track evolution key to end qualifying

Verstappen set the first time of the session, but soon enough, Alonso, Sainz and Leclerc all moved ahead to claim the top three spots.

Hamilton was only able to best the seventh spot after his first flying lap, however, he was on used tyres.

McLaren were working on getting Norris out on track in Q3 after his accident in Q2 and with six minutes remaining, the Brit was seen leaving the pits and getting out in the Monaco sun.

Verstappen regained the lead, but as the track found its peak evolution, Ocon moved onto the provisional pole with three minutes to go. However, it was anyone's spot, as Leclerc and Alonso switched places with a minute to go.