With FP1 for the 2026 F1 Monaco GP completed, view the full report here for the first practice session of the weekend, as Formula 1 returns to a normal weekend format for the first time since the Japanese GP.
First few laps and steering lock issues for Racing Bulls
With the air temperature at 23°C and track temperature at 29°C, the sun was shining along the French Riviera for FP1 at the 2026 Monaco GP.
There was already quite the queue to get out on track even before green light, with Cadillac’s Sergio Perez leading the field out of the pits.
Home favourite Charles Leclerc headed out on the hard tyres for his first lap, and immediately went straight on at Mirabeau, locking the right front and heading to the escape road, before reversing out without any major dramas.
Rookie Arvid Lindblad reported over the radio that he doesn’t have “enough lock” to get around the hairpin properly. The same was later reported by his more experienced team-mate Liam Lawson, as Racing Bulls clearly suffered from a lack of steering angle in the VCARB-03.
Ferrari sets the early pace in 2026 Monaco GP FP1, amidst tensions at Haas
After his early off, Leclerc managed to get straight on the pace to go fastest overall at the 15-minute mark of FP1 at the 2026 Monaco GP, setting a 1:15.060 to go over half-a-second quicker than team-mate Hamilton. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli quickly split the two, steering a time just under four tenths slower than the Monegasque to go second fastest, whilst team-mate and title rival George Russell languished down in 10th, over two seconds off after his earlier efforts.
Tensions flared among the Haas drivers at the start of FP1, as both Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon vented their frustrations with each other over the radio, as the pair nearly tripped over during their fast/slow lap sequence.
Leclerc further improved his time to be the first driver to dip under the 1m15s mark, setting a 1:14.928, with Hamilton quickly joining him in second, just under two tenths back.
Russell struggles to find the pace as title rival Antonelli goes fastest overall
After putting the medium tyres in his Mercedes, Russell didn’t find that much pace, going ninth on his first lap, over 1.2s slower than Antonelli’s earlier time on the hard tyres. At the same time, Antonelli also jumped on the mediums but couldn’t improve his previous time at the first lap, missing out by just 0.05s.
Lewis Hamilton had a massive lock-up heading up to Sainte Devote, flat-spotting a set of hard tyres and taking to the escape road, before returning to the pits.
There was a brief Virtual Safety Car (VSC) for the marshals to collect a piece of debris left that flew off an Alpine at La Rascasse, which was quickly cleared.
Antonelli’s second lap on the medium tyres propelled him straight to the top of the timesheets, with a 1:14.537 taking him nearly four tenths quicker than Leclerc and Hamilton, just past the halfway mark of the session, and over one second quicker than his title rival Russell in fourth.
Verstappen, Norris, Hülkënberg, Piastri, Hadjar and Gasly completed the top 10 at the time.
Hadjar crashes out at the exit of the swimming pool chicane
Isack Hadjar lost control of his Red Bull at the exit of the swimming pool chicane, losing the rear on entry and heading straight into the TecPro barriers at the exit, crashing nose-first into the wall before wiping out the left-rear of his RB22 as the car slid around after the initial impact.
He reported to be “okay” over the radio and apologised for his team, but stated he “didn’t understand why it snapped” on him mid-turn.
The red flag was immediately thrown with 24 minutes of FP1 remaining, whilst the marshals recovered the stricken Red Bull, and lasted for about seven minutes as quick work from the 2026 Monaco GP crew meant the session got back underway quickly.
Hülkënberg finds pace in the Audi as Ferraris trades fastest times at the top
Nico Hülkënberg found incredible pace in his Audi – running a special yellow-paint livery at the 2026 Monaco F1 GP – paying tribute to Tazio Nuvolari – going fifth fastest as FP1 restarted, on the medium tyres, just over 1.3s slower than pace-setter Kimi Antonelli.
Max Verstappen then jumped up to third, also on mediums, and demoted Hülkënberg down to sixth.
Lewis Hamilton went quickest overall with a 1:14.204, to go a third of a second quicker than Leclerc’s earlier benchmark, before the Monegasque swiftly took the top spot back, dipping into 1:13.978, the first driver to go under the 1m14s mark, and over two tenths clear of Hamilton, with four-time champion Verstappen a further three tenths back in third, with the two Mercedes drivers of Antonelli and Russell fourth and fifth.
Alonso hits the barrier at the exit of the tunnel and debris causes late red flag that ends F1 2026 Monaco GP FP1
The two-time world champion had a rear brake-lock as he braked for the Nouvelle Chicane, which spat his Aston Martin into the barriers and broke a bit of the front wing of the AMR26, leaving debris on the circuit which required a late red flag that effectively ended the session, as the masrshals recovered the remnants pieces of bodywork before the cars headed out for practice starts on the grid.
The cars returned to the grid for a practice start, with Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll missing out as the red light illuminated at the end of the pit lane. Liam Lawson headed out just as the red light was lit up, and was noted by the stewards for leaving the pit exit under red light.
The session ended with Leclerc on top, ahead of Hamilton, Verstappen, Antonelli and Russell rounding out the top five.
Norris, Hülkënberg, Piastri, Bortoleto and Gasly completed the top 10.
Full session results from FP1 at the 2026 Monaco GP here.
