Charles Leclerc topped Friday’s first practice in Monte‑Carlo, putting Ferrari on pole ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.226 seconds. The Monegasque driver’s pace gave the Italian marque a clean one‑two, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen trailed in third, 0.513 seconds off the leader. The session set an early tone for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar lost control entering the second Swimming Pool chicane, spinning into the barriers and ending his run. A separate incident saw Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin slide at the harbour front chicane, the rear end flicking sideways before the car fishtailed into the wall. Both crashes highlighted the circuit’s unforgiving nature.

Mercedes youngsters Kimi Antonelli and George Russell occupied the fourth and fifth slots, keeping the team within striking distance of the leaders. Verstappen’s half‑second deficit underscores Red Bull’s need to improve tyre management on the tight street layout. As qualifying looms, Ferrari’s early dominance forces rivals to match the Scuderia’s rhythm.

The practice session also gave teams data on brake temperatures and aerodynamic balance ahead of the qualifying sprint. Mercedes will analyze Antonelli’s sector times to close the gap, while Red Bull hopes to fine‑tune Verstappen’s setup before the final run. The clear hierarchy emerging now will shape the race strategy for Sunday.