Lando Norris banished his qualifying blues to claim pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The British driver set a new record around the streets of Monte Carlo to beat local hero Charles Leclerc to pole by 0.109 seconds. Norris, who has bemoaned his qualifying slip-ups throughout the season, put it together at the death to clinch his first pole since the season-opener in Melbourne.
EXCLUSIVE - George Russell: ‘F1 is riding a wave – but it won’t take much for it to come crashing down’
Oscar Piastri, who leads McLaren team-mate Norris by 13 points at the top of the championship standings, will start Sunday’s race from third. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton qualified in fourth but was hit with a post-session three-place grid drop for impeding Max Verstappen.
As a result, Verstappen, who clinched his second win of the season at Imola last weekend to close to within 22 points of Piastri, will start in fourth despite qualifying in fifth.
Follow live coverage of the Monaco GP with The Independent
F1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- The Monaco Grand Prix starts at 2pm (BST)
- NEW: Lewis Hamilton hit with penalty for impeding Max Verstappen
- Lando Norris claims stunning pole position; Leclerc 2nd; Piastri 3rd
- PREVIEW: F1 rolls the dice with new Monaco GP rule - can it save the race?
- EXCLUSIVE - George Russell: ‘F1 is riding a wave – but it won’t take much for it to come crashing down’
What time is the race on Sunday?
17:09 , Kieran JacksonThe Monaco Grand Prix starts at 2pm (BST)!
FULL STORY: Lewis Hamilton hit with penalty after Max Verstappen clash in Monaco GP qualifying
18:20 , Kieran JacksonLewis Hamilton has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.
The seven-time F1 world champion recorded his best grand prix qualifying result for Ferrari and was set to start fourth on the grid on Sunday.
Yet in Q1, Hamilton was involved in an impeding incident with Max Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton hit with penalty after Max Verstappen clash in Monaco GP qualifying
NEW: Hamilton receives three-place grid drop
18:14 , Kieran JacksonHamilton has been punished for that impeding incident with Max Verstappen with a THREE-PLACE grid drop.
That means the Ferrari driver will start Sunday’s race in seventh, instead of fourth.
Max Verstappen after qualifying P5:
17:59 , Kieran JacksonWhere did you lose time? “Mainly, the middle sector. I couldn’t find more lap time compared to practice, every time I had to drop a kerb it didn’t hit up. When I saw the lap time progression, I knew we were not in that fight.
“I know our car isn’t very good in low-speed.”
On Lewis Hamilton impeding moment: “It’s not nice, the team told him I was driving slow when I was clearly driving fast. It wasn’t Lewis’ fault.
“If you look at the history of things, yes. Normally in qualifying, they’re quite strict on these things.”
Isack Hadjar, after qualifying P6:
17:45“Come on man, P6! Come on! Let’s go! Yes!”
Lewis Hamilton after qualifying P4:
17:36 , Kieran Jackson“Not the greatest day, but the weekend has generally been going quite well - car has felt really good.
“P3 to have that shunt was not helpful. Team did an amazing job to recover the car, worked so hard to fix it.
On Max incident: “Qualifying is so much fun around here, very difficult to keep out the way of everybody. I was doing a good job but then the team said Max was on a fast lap, then they said he wasn’t, I was about to get back on power, accelerated for 10m, I was off the line but did have an impact on him.”
On the race: “I don’t know about tomorrow’s strategy. It’s great we have the two stops, for a few people the medium grained massively - I’ve got two hards, Charles chose two mediums. I’m really hoping that can make some kind of difference.”
McLaren boss Zak Brown:
17:20 , Kieran Jackson“It was a pretty awesome qualifying!
“He nailed it, that was exciting. With two stops, maybe we’ll have to see if something is different.”
Lando Norris after qualifying on pole:
16:59 , Kieran Jackson“It’s been a long time coming, I feel good. I didn’t realise how good this feels, after some struggles. This is the hardest track to do it, I’m very proud of the whole team. Very pleased.
“No risk from our side, we did what we thought was best. We stuck to what we believed in. These days don’t come easy.”
On race: “I have no idea and for now, I don’t care. I’m going to enjoy today.”
A lap record for Norris too - the first lap under 70 seconds in Monaco ever!
Charles Leclerc, after qualifying P2:
16:46 , Kieran Jackson“There’s always something more to be done, this was the best we could do - the lap was really good. Very frustrated, we know we don’t quite have the car to go for wins - starting second, is going to be tricky to take first.
“I like city tracks in general, I like to go all in and take maximum risk. Most of the time this pays off! I’m proud. It’s not that bad.”
TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING
16:22 , Kieran Jackson1. Lando Norris
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Oscar Piastri
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. Max Verstappen
6. Isack Hadjar
7. Fernando Alonso
8. Esteban Ocon
9. Liam Lawson
10. Alex Albon
Big celebrations for team Norris!
16:20 , Kieran JacksonA big roar from Zak Brown, with Norris hugging his manager and parents in parc ferme!
Feels a big moment for the McLaren driver after a tough few weeks!
Lando Norris claims pole position in Monaco!
16:17 , Kieran JacksonThrilling ending - it’s Lando Norris who does it at the death!
McLaren went again right at the end and Norris takes pole away from Leclerc with the final lap - by just a tenth!
Verstappen only P5!
3-10: Piastri, Hamilton, Verstappen, Hadjar, Alonso, Ocon, Lawson, Albon
Lando Norris stays on provisional pole!
16:14 , Kieran JacksonPiastri goes quicker... but so does Norris!
By 0.015 seconds, Norris goes faster than his teammate!
Two minutes left - what do Verstappen, Leclerc and Hamilton have to say about that?!
McLaren head out a smidge early!
16:11 , Kieran JacksonWith five minutes left, McLaren aren’t hanging around. They want to get their second laps in!
Can anyone topple the papaya?
Lando Norris on provisional pole!
16:09Advantage with Lando Norris! A stonking lap - a 1:10:464!
Oscar Piastri is 0.067 seconds down in second, with Leclerc and Verstappen a tenth further down in third and fourth!
5-10: Hamilton, Ocon, Alonso, Lawson, Albon, Hadjar
5:00 to go in Q3!
Q3 underway!
16:05 , Kieran JacksonHere we go then - it’s time for the top-10 shootout for the all-important pole position in Monaco!
10 drivers involved: Leclerc, Hamilton, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Albon, Alonso, Hadjar, Lawson, Ocon
Carlos Sainz on team radio:
16:01 , Kieran Jackson“No grip on this tyre, f***!”
Meanwhile, Haas’ Ocon: “I can’t believe it, good job, good job, yes!”
Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda out!
15:56 , Kieran JacksonSainz only P11, Tsunoda P12!
Bottom-five (11-15) and out in Q2: Sainz, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Russell, Antonelli
Both RB drivers through in Hadjar and Lawson! The Haas of Ocon also through!
Top-3: Norris, Leclerc, Albon
Now time for the top-10 shootout!
Fernando Alonso:
15:54“Yeah box, woo - I cannot do more mate!”
Alonso in seventh at the moment. With 2:00 to go in Q2, will it be enough?!
Current bottom-five (11-15): Hadjar, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Russell, Antonelli
Yuki Tsunoda in trouble!
15:51 , Kieran JacksonThe second Red Bull driver is in trouble, in P10. He’ll need to go quicker.
Current bottom-five (11-15): Hadjar, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Russell, Antonelli
At the top, Norris is quickest with Leclerc in second and Hamilton third.
5:00 to go in Q2.
Q2 back underway in three minutes!
15:41 , Kieran JacksonSo, with 10 minutes left, there’s now just 13 cars in action!
10 will go through, 3 will be eliminated...
Mercedes statement:
15:38 , Kieran Jackson“George lost power after hitting a bump coming out of Turn 1 and was unable to restart the car after trying a number of switch change.
“It looks like a potential electrical problem at this stage.”
George Russell out of qualifying!
15:37 , Kieran JacksonRussell’s battery has gone!
He’s tried to restart the car in the tunnel but to no avail! The Brit said he hit a kerb and it’s stopped!
The marshals are pushing the car down through the tunnel with Russell still in the cockpit...
He’ll be P14 and no better!
RED FLAG!
15:35 , Kieran JacksonGeorge Russell has stopped on the racing line in the tunnel!
RED FLAG with 10:08 left!
Double disaster for Mercedes!
Q2 underway!
15:32Again, massive queue at the end of the pit-lane as the 14 remaining cars prepare for Q2!
We will lose the slowest four drivers ahead of the top-10 shootout - will we get a shock?
Hamilton-Verstappen impeding incident to be investigated after the session!
15:27Hamilton swerved slightly onto the racing line up the hill, with Verstappen on a push lap!
Verstappen: “Woah, Lewis! Massive impeding that!”
Hamilton: “You said he was slowing down mate, s*** mate.”
It’s a tight one.... Hamilton not impressed with his engineer Ricardo Adami!
Antonelli crash!
15:24 , Kieran JacksonSo careless from the teenager!
It was the slightest of touches on the inside barrier heading into the chicane, but it was enough to damage his front left tyre and send his car into the wall!
He’s all OK - it wasn’t the speediest crash - but he’ll be starting 15th for Sunday’s race!
Kimi Antonelli in the wall!
15:21 , Kieran JacksonAntonelli has crashed at the Nouvelle chicane, tapping the barrier coming out of the tunnel!
“I’m sorry,” he says.
At P15, he’d have been through - but his car won’t take part in Q2 now!
It’s wrecked other drivers on hot laps too! RED FLAG!
Bottom-five (16-20) and out in Q1: Bortoleto, Bearman, Gasly, Stroll, Colapinto
Fernando Alonso in trouble!
15:17Alonso is P17 with a few minutes left!
Hamilton is 11th too - he’ll need to go quicker! All 20 cars out on track now!
Current bottom-five (16-20): Bortoleto, Alonso, Bearman, Stroll, Colapinto
2:00 to go in Q1!
Lando Norris quickest!
15:14 , Kieran JacksonNorris at the top with a 1:11:596, 0.156 secs quicker than Charles Leclerc!
Lance Stroll, meanwhile, impedes Pierre Gasly coming out of the tunnel...
Bottom-five (16-20): Lawson, Hadjar, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Gasly
5:00 to go in Q1...
Ferrari one-two early on!
15:09 , Kieran JacksonLeclerc two-tenths quicker than Hamilton early on, but both Ferrari cars at the top early on!
More importantly: Bottom-five with 10:00 to go in Q1: Alonso, Ocon, Hadjar, Colapinto, Bortoleto
Qualifying underway!
15:02 , Kieran JacksonA big queue in the pit-lane as we get going with Q1 - 18 minutes where, by the end, we’ll lose the slowest five drivers from the rest of qualifying!
A few cars on medium tyres too...
Championship leader Oscar Piastri ahead of qualifying:
14:58 , Kieran JacksonCan he fight for pole today? “I think so, a lot of competition today, got a good chance.
“Charles will be a challenge, Max came back to life today and Lando has been quick as well, it’ll be an exciting session.”
Qualifying in Monaco!
14:55 , Kieran JacksonWe’re five minutes away from the most important qualifying session of the season!
It looks very competitive this afternoon, with Leclerc, Norris, Piastri and Verstappen the frontrunners!
Lewis Hamilton has just been around his garage thanking his mechanics for fixing his car after his crash in FP3 - is the Brit in the mix?!
We’ll soon find out!
Max Verstappen ahead of qualifying:
14:53 , Kieran Jackson“Stay out of the barriers, it’s going honestly to be very difficult and tight, Charles has been really fast, he’ll be on it.
“Is it enough to fight for pole? We need a bit of a magic lap, very tough around here. Very happy with how our car performed this weekend, compared to last year.”
Is Charles Leclerc the favourite?
14:50 , Kieran JacksonTop in all three practice sessions and the winner here last year, it seems all set for home hero Charles Leclerc to do the business here!
Can he secure a first pole position for Ferrari in a grand prix this season?
