The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated events of the year by motorsport fans. The street circuit through the most exclusive area of Monte Carlo offers totally different conditions to those the drivers face the rest of the year.
Tight curves, little room for overtaking and clinical precision in every movement make the event in the principality an unmissable occasion for spectators worldwide to enjoy from their homes.
In addition to Formula 1, which has Max Verstappen as the big favorite for yet another year, this weekend the other two development categories met, among them Formula 2, which almost complicated things for the organization of the Monaco Grand Prix.
During the qualification test that took place this Friday, The French driver Isaac Hadjar, belonging to the Campos Racing team, executed a dangerous maneuver to avoid one of his rivals in the tunnel that is located under the luxurious Fairmont hotel.
The Japanese Ritomo Miyata had mechanical problems with his car and was moving at low speed around the circuit when he entered the tunnel. Unfortunately, the warning of the yellow flags was not noticed by Hadjar, who came face to face with his rival in a tight curve before coming to the top of the exit.
Leclerc rules in Formula 1 free practice
Thanks to Hadjar’s guidance, there was no need to raise a red flag and the day continued as scheduled. In fact, the Formula 1 free practices were also carried out with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) as the great figure of the afternoon, giving notice to the Red Bulls of Verstappen and ‘Checo’ Pérez.
At the wheel of his Ferrari, the Monegasque rider set the best time this Friday of the first tests of the eighth round of the F1 season, in the glamorous streets of the principality.
Under a threatening sky, Leclerc relegated the British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who had been the fastest in the first session, to 188 thousandths. “It seems like we have a good car for this circuit and I felt confident.”said Leclerc, who has been very consistent since the beginning of the season, but who has always found it difficult to shine in his hometown.
Between 2017, when he was still competing in F2, and 2021 he always suffered technical problems or knocks. Last year he was sixth and in 2022 he was at the foot of the podium.
The Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) was third, about half a second behind Leclerc.
‘Mad Max’, current triple world champion, had been 12th in the first session, which he raced with medium tires – less fast than the soft ones -, showing that he does not seem comfortable with his Red Bull in the Principality. He complained at the beginning of the second session that his car “bouncing like a kangaroo.”
“The car lost a lot of time on each lap and on this circuit a boat can cause you to crash into the wall,” he explained later.
*With information from AFP.
