Charles Leclerc expects a fierce fight with teammate Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for Monaco Grand Prix pole position after Ferrari dominated both Friday practice sessions. The Scuderia finished first and second in each session, with Leclerc topping the opening hour and Hamilton edging ahead by 0.1s in the faster second session.

Red Bull's Verstappen remained within 0.2s of Ferrari's pace, while championship leaders Mercedes lagged 0.3s behind the leaders. George Russell admitted Ferrari confirmed their status as favorites on the tight street circuit, calling them "the team to beat" despite making improvements between sessions.

McLaren endured a difficult day, trailing over one second behind the pace-setting Ferraris. Lando Norris lost 45 minutes of track time due to a suspected power unit issue, and both McLaren drivers acknowledged they lack the speed to challenge at the front. Norris described the car as simply turning off during the session.

Leclerc battled brake problems throughout Friday, running off-track twice including on his first lap at Mirabeau. The Monegasque driver remained optimistic about finding solutions overnight, stating confidence isn't high but the team can make progress. Hamilton praised the SF-26's balance and confirmed Ferrari's focus on fine-tuning details ahead of Saturday's crucial qualifying session that typically determines Sunday's race outcome.