Monaco Grand Prix | Sainz the fastest in the first free practice session

(Monte-Carlo) The Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) set the fastest time of the 1^D Monaco Grand Prix free practice session, 6^e round of the Formula 1 World Championship on Friday at the Monaco circuit, far ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen, only 6^e.

Sainz leads compatriot Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, 3^e best time of this first session at the wheel of a modified Mercedes concept.

In Monaco, the eight-time constructors’ world champion’s W14 appeared with pontoons – the team having definitively abandoned its “zero pontoon” concept introduced last year at the dawn of the new technical regulations.

“We hope this will shake things up a bit,” said Mercedes engineering director Andrew Shovlin — “although Monaco isn’t the place to be” to measure the performance of these improvements against the competition.

Mercedes is currently 3^e provisional strength of the field behind Red Bull and Aston Martin.

In the narrow streets of the Principality, the reigning double world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) seemed to be in more difficulty than usual. The Dutchman complained in particular of clutch problems and a difficult to drive RB19.

He took a modest 6^e place on the timesheet, behind his teammate Sergio Pérez, 4^eand the local hero, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 5^e.

These first tries were shortened after a red flag at the very end of the session following an impact by Alexander Albon (Williams) against a wall. The Thai has heavily damaged the left side of his car.

Earlier, SS1 had already been interrupted in order to evacuate the debris of the Haas of the German Nico Hulkerberg, which came to hit a wall less than twenty minutes after the start of the session.

A second free practice session is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. local time.

1^D free practice session

• Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:13,372 (26 laps)
• Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:13,710 (28)
• Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:14,035 (27)
• Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:14,038 (27)
• Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:14,093 (24)
• Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:14,244 (26)
• Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:14,467 (25)
• Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:14,585 (29)
• Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:14,653 (28)
• Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:14,666 (32)
• Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:14,718 (29)
• Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:14,725 (29)
• Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:14,820 (29)
• Pierre Gasly (FRA / Alpine-Renault) 1: 14,866 (30)
• George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:15,066 (24)
• Nyck de Vries (NED/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:15,083 (33)
• Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:15,192 (32)
• Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:15,557 (30)
• Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:15,684 (25)
• Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:15,785 (17)