Monaco GP qualifying: Norris puts McLaren on pole; Hamilton and Verstappen in fourth, fifth

Monaco GP qualifying: Norris puts McLaren on pole; Hamilton and Verstappen in fourth, fifth

Lando Norris put Formula One champions McLaren on pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix in track record time on Saturday with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc alongside on the front row for his home race.

McLaren’s Formula One championship leader, Oscar Piastri qualified third, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth initially, but he faces a three-place grid drop for impeding Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who was fifth.

Hamilton will now start in seventh.

Norris went quickest with his first flying lap in the final phase but had to go faster to deny Leclerc – who went top at the chequered flag but ended up 0.109 slower – a fourth Monaco pole in five years.

The Briton did it with a stunning effort of one minute 09.954 seconds around the treacherous and twisty metal-fenced streets, a big moment for his title hopes.

“It’s been a long time coming. I feel good. I don’t think you realise how good this feels after quite a few struggles in the last few months,” Norris said.

“Monaco is a beautiful place. The hardest track to do it and up against the hometown hero.”

Norris is 13 points behind Piastri after seven races, but overtaking is very difficult in Monaco, although a second pitstop is mandatory this year, and pole position in the principality is a massive advantage.

Leclerc had been fastest in the first phase, but Norris was quicker in the second.

“We know that we don’t quite have the car to go for wins this year, but this weekend the car felt good, and starting second here, it’s going to be tricky to take that first place,” said the Monegasque.

Qualifying turned into a nightmare for Mercedes, with Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli crashing at the end of the first phase and qualifying 15th while George Russell’s car stopped in the tunnel with a suspected electrical problem.

“Game over. Sorry mate,” his race engineer said over the team radio.

The session was red-flagged with 10 minutes to run in the second phase as marshals pushed the Mercedes out into the sunlight and down an escape road.

Russell, fourth in the standings and one of only four drivers to have scored in every race this season, will start 14th.

Oliver Bearman, who collected a 10-place grid penalty in Friday practice for failing to slow under red flags, was only 17th fastest. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who has a one-place drop, qualified 19th. 

Hamilton will start Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix from seventh place after being handed a three-place grid drop for impeding Verstappen in qualifying.

They said in a statement that Ferrari told Hamilton Verstappen was on a fast lap and then that he was slowing down, when that was not the case.

Hamilton “expressed his displeasure at the incorrect message from the team immediately after the incident,” the stewards reported.

“During the hearing, the fact of the team’s incorrect message leading to the incident was accepted by the driver of Car 44 (Hamilton).”

Although the impeding was due to the team’s error, stewards said Hamilton should still be penalised.

“The fact that the radio message was the cause of the impeding does not amount to a mitigating factor,” they ruled. “We therefore impose the standard penalty of a drop of three grid positions.”