After an almost three-month break, Formula 3 returned to the streets of Monte Carlo for the 2026 F3 Monaco GP. Thursday’s Practice session saw Campos Racing’s Théophile Naël set the pace ahead of TRIDENT’s Freddie Slater in P2 and teammate Ugo Ugochukwu in P3. Naël then carried that form into Friday, producing a 1:24.471 to secure pole position in the 2026 F3 Monaco Qualifying session. Brando Badoer topped Group A, set to start from the front row in Sunday’s Feature Race.
As is tradition in Monaco, the Formula 3 Qualifying session was split into two groups. Group A consisted of the even-numbered cars and ran first, while Group B featured the odd-numbered cars and followed immediately afterwards.
2026 F3 Monaco Qualifying Group A: Badoer goes fastest
The drivers initially completed two warm-up laps to bring their front tyres up to temperature before beginning their first push laps.
Taponen was noted for an unsafe release and will be investigated after the session.
Ugochukwu was the first driver to set a representative lap, posting a 1:31.081 to establish the early benchmark. Bhirombhakdi moved into second with a 1:31.720, but both were soon eclipsed by Kato, who became the first driver to break into the 1:26s with a 1:26.707.
Ugochukwu quickly responded and reclaimed top spot with a 1:26.367, while AIX Racing’s Benavides climbed to second, just a tenth behind the American. Strømsted then edged out Ugochukwu by less than a tenth to move to the top of the timesheets.
Kato once again lit up the timing screens, producing a purple middle sector before becoming the first driver to break into the 1:25s with a 1:25.706. The Japanese driver put more than three-tenths between himself and the rest of the field. Ugochukwu briefly returned to P1, but Badoer soon answered with a lap more than two tenths quicker to take over at the top as drivers continued to find time around the improving circuit.
Elsewhere, Strømsted was noted for allegedly impeding Taponen and would also be investigated after the session.
McLaughlin suffered a brush with the barriers at Turn 7, damaging the front-left endplate of his front wing, but was able to continue.
Taponen, Ugochukwu and Badoer at the top
Taponen moved to the top of the order with a 1:25.242. However, the final minutes of the session brought another flurry of improvements. Ugochukwu became the first driver to dip below the 1:25 barrier with a 1:24.963, despite making slight contact with the barriers during his lap. His time was soon eclipsed by Badoer, who produced a 1:24.612 to finish 0.351s clear of Ugochukwu.
The top six from Qualifying Group A were Badoer, Ugochukwu, Taponen, del Pino, Strømsted and Yamakoshi.
Bruno del Pino will be investigated for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
2026 F3 Monaco Qualifying Group B: Naël claims pole position
Drivers wasted little time breaking into the 1:25s, with Naël setting the early benchmark at 1:25.729. Pedro Clerot moved into P2 with a 1:25.981 before Alessandro Giusti split the pair with a 1:25.800.
Rookie Maciej Gładysz then jumped to the top of the timesheets with a 1:25.575. However, Freddie Slater, running on an alternative strategy to much of the field, became the first driver to dip below the 1:25 barrier, posting a 1:24.986 to take P1.
Ernesto Rivera, returning after missing the Melbourne round due to injury, climbed to P2 with a 1:25.136. Giusti soon improved again, lowering the benchmark to a 1:25.028 and moving back into second place.
As the drivers began their cooldown laps, Gładysz endured a nervous moment when he lost the rear of his ART Grand Prix car, although he managed to avoid any contact and continue.
Slater then started another push lap, but his attempt came to an early end when he clipped the wall with the front of his TRIDENT machine at Turn 7, forcing him to abandon the lap.
Naël responded in style, setting the fastest time in all three sectors. Although he brushed the wall at the end of the lap, the Frenchman still stormed to P1 and secured overall pole position with a 1:24.522.
Gładysz was not as fortunate on his next attempt, making contact with the wall, although he was able to continue without significant damage.
Naël ultimately finished four tenths clear of Slater in P2 with a time of 1:24.471, underlining his dominance in the session. Slater, Rivera, Giusti, Clerot and Xie wrapped up the top 6 from Group B.
2026 F3 Monaco Qualifying results
