F1 Monaco GP 2024 LIVE: Practice updates, times, schedule and results as Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2
Formula 1 returns to perhaps its most iconic track as the teams face off at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen got back to winning ways last time out with victory at the Emila Romagna Grand Prix but his season has suddenly taken on a more competitive edge with the emergence of Lando Norris as a potential title challenger.
McLaren’s Norris claimed a stunning win two weeks ago in Miami, beating Verstappen after a perfectly timed safety car and took the reigning world champion to the end of the race at Imola, going as far as saying he needed only a couple more laps to overtake the Red Bull.
Nonetheless, Verstappen still has a healthy 48-point lead in the drivers’ championship to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with Norris, though gaining ground, 60 points behind in fourth and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez between them in third.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton‘s worst-ever start to an F1 season continues though he managed to claw back a place in the drivers’ standings with a sixth-placed finish at Imola and will look to turn around his fortunes this weekend.
Follow latest updates from the Monaco Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 MONACO GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
Charles Leclec tops the table in FP2, Lewis Hamilton second and Fernando Alonso third
Full leaderboard for FP2
Mercedes’ Hamilton fastest in FP1 ahead of Oscar Piastri and George Russell
Max Verstappen leads drivers’ championship and claimed victory at Imola
Hamilton reacts after sixth place finish at Imola: ‘We are in no man’s land’
Lewis Hamilton second in Monaco practice to raise hopes of Mercedes challenge
17:51 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton raised the prospect of challenging at the sharp end of the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix after he finished second in practice.
Hamilton earlier put his Silver Arrows at the top of the order in the first session and later in the day ended up just 0.188 seconds behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Fernando Alonso was third for Aston Martin – nearly half-a-second back and one place ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – with Lando Norris fifth in his McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton second in Monaco practice to raise hopes of Mercedes challenge
Toto Wolff confident he can lead struggling Mercedes back to top of Formula One
17:25 , Mike Jones
A bullish Toto Wolff insists he remains the right man to lead Mercedes and has backed Lewis Hamilton to land his record eighth world championship at Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team arrive for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix following a string of underwhelming results which leaves them a distant fourth in the constructors’ championship.
Hamilton, who is departing the Silver Arrows at the end of the year to join the Scuderia, will gear up for Sunday’s 78-lap race here in the principality only eighth in the standings, with just 35 points on the board, compared to championship leader Max Verstappen’s 161.
Toto Wolff confident he can lead struggling Mercedes back to top of Formula One
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
17:14 , Mike Jones
Charles feeling at home in Monaco 🇲🇨 pic.twitter.com/uvOXZVLEzG
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 24, 2024
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
17:10 , Mike Jones
What was interesting from both sessions today was just how many cars clipped the walls and struggled with the bouncing off the low curbs on this street circuit.
Both Red Bulls and George Russell of Mercedes were vocal in their displeasure going around the track.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
17:08 , Mike Jones
Full leaderboad for FP2:
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:11.278
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.188
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.475
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.535
Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.675
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.684
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.784
Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.821
Alex Albon (Williams) +0.979
George Russell (Mercedes) +0.982
Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Logan Sargeant (Williams)
Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
17:07 , Mike Jones
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
17:03 , Mike Jones
As the chequered flag goes no-one manages to catch up to Charles Leclerc’s 1:11 run. Lewis Hamilton, after topping the leaderboard in FP1, finishes second in FP2 as well.
Is that a sign he’s in for a good weekend? You can never tell with Mercedes recently.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:56 , Mike Jones
The majority of teams are now running the soft tyres and trying to eke out as much data as possible. George Russell says that something ‘feels weird’ on the straights for his Mercedes.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:53 , Mike Jones
Wow. Charles Leclerc needs to escape on the straight at Sainte Devote which brings out the yellow flags briefly. The Ferrari isn’t in any trouble though as is back on its way soon enough.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:51 , Mike Jones
Race control have noted an incident between Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda after the RB driver was in the way of the Red Bull twice between the Swimming Pool section and Racasse.
Nothing comes from it though. 10 minutes left in the session.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:45 , Mike Jones
Current top five:
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:11.278
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.188
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.475
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.535
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.675
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:45 , Mike Jones
These drivers are quite crazy.
Esteban Ocon is the latest to deliver the news that he’s connected with the wall. Like Verstappen it’s more of a scrape and Ocon heads back into the pits from P18.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:38 , Mike Jones
Max Vertstappen hit the wall at Turn 7 but it was only a clip. A quick stop in the garage seems to have resolved any issues and his back on the track for an out lap.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:37 , Mike Jones
James Vowles of Williams has described Charles Leclerc’s lap as ‘punchy’. At the minute no-one else is coming all that close to him with Lewis Hamilton missing out by two tenths after a very decent and quick lap in his Mercedes.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:30 , Mike Jones
The soft compound tyres are now being run, probably for the remainder of the session, after Alex Albon came out first and hit the top of the leaderboard.
It doesn’t take long for many of the bigger names to overtake him but it’s Charles Leclerc with a lap of 1:11.278 that is leading the way.
Fernando Alonso is four tenths of a session behind him.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:28 , Mike Jones
“The ride is horrendous, I cannot see the apex of turn 3 from the front.” That’s the assessment of Sergio Perez who seems to be struggling.
Sky Sports has helmet cam from his run and he’s bouncing around like no tomorrow.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:22 , Mike Jones
They keep taking time out of the laps with Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen performing the best. It’s been a quiet session for McLaren after a decent time of things in FP1.
Here’s the current top five:
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:11.573
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.957
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.150
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +1.165
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.377
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:17 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen isn’t comfortable in his Red Bull at all. He’s trying to get speed into the car, and is pretty successful at besting Hamilton’s fastest lap but he’s not best pleased.
Ove the radio he says: “I’m jumping like a kangaroo man. I’m getting headaches, it’s crazy!”
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:15 , Mike Jones
“The vibration in the steering at turn 11 is a bit insane at the moment. I can’t hold onto the wheel.” reports George Russell which is not something you want to hear on such a tight circuit.
Mercedes are looking into the data for a solution for him.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:14 , Mike Jones
Leclerc back in first!
The 26-year-old takes his Ferrari back to the timesheets with a 1:12.373 though Lewis Hamilton, who is haping up as his rival in this session, positions his Mercedes above Max Verstappen to go second.
Hamilton is almost six-tenths of a second off Leclerc’s time.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:09 , Mike Jones
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton trade places at the top of the leaderboard with the Brit setting the newest fast lap. His Mercedes seemed to get away from him towards the end of the lap and he had to fight to keep control.
Hamilton doesn’t stay there for long as here’s comes Max Verstappen with a lap of 1:13.265. The hard tyre is currently running faster than the medium.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:06 , Mike Jones
Hamilton’s next effort takes him to the top of the leaderboard with a 1:14.080 on the medium tyres. Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are running different set ups with both on hard tyres.
The Red Bull puts in a lap of 1:13.775 to leap above Hamilton while he receives some updates on the potential rain.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:04 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton was the fastest driver in FP1 and is already out on a fast lap here. He’s on medium tyres and and almost goes purple through sector 1.
Something slips during the second sector and Hamilton abandons his attempt, slowing down to let Kevin Magnussen goes past.
Monaco GP - FP2 LIVE
16:01 , Mike Jones
We’re underway!
The cars depart the pit lane for the second practice session of the day. Max Verstappen near the front of the field looks determined and ready for this one.
An hour of practice to come.
Lewis Hamilton quickest in Monaco Grand Prix first practice
15:56 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton delivered a boost for Mercedes by clocking the fastest time in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Mercedes have been on the backfoot so far this season, but the seven-time world champion ended the opening session in the principality at the top of the order.
Hamilton saw off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with George Russell third in the other Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton quickest in Monaco Grand Prix first practice
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
15:49 , Mike Jones
FP2 is a touch under 15 minutes away and coverage is starting again on Sky Sports F1. There doesn’t seem to have been any rain in the interim between sessions so conditions should be similar to FP1.
Pierre Gasly will be hoping for a better session after a power unit failure for his Alpine.
The ‘difficult’ reason Fernando Alonso didn’t join Max Verstappen at Red Bull
15:46 , Mike Jones
Helmut Marko has revealed the reason why Fernando Alonso has never joined Max Verstappen at Red Bull despite plenty of conversations between the iconic Spaniard and the currently dominant F1 team.
The 42-year-old Alonso has spoken to Red Bull about potentially signing for them a number of times over the years but committed what is likely the remainder of his F1 career to Aston Martin when signing a new deal until at least 2026 back in April.
Alonso has previously confirmed that at least one set of talks included chief technical officer Adrian Newey but Red Bull adviser Marko has stated that the veteran wouldn’t get on well as a teammate to three-time world champion Verstappen and thus the move will never happen.
The ‘difficult’ reason Fernando Alonso didn’t join Max Verstappen at Red Bull
Max Verstappen expects Lando Norris to provide stern world title challenge
15:36 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen believes Lando Norris is ready to rival him for the world championship as the Red Bull driver cast doubt on his own chances at the Monaco Grand Prix.
After his maiden victory in Miami, Norris chased Verstappen all the way to the chequered flag in Imola, finishing less than a second behind the Dutchman.
Norris is 60 points off the title pace ahead of this weekend’s race in the principality, but Verstappen said: “He (Norris) is really in the mix.”
Max Verstappen expects Lando Norris to provide stern world title challenge
Verstappen on Norris challenging for world title
15:26 , Mike Jones
“He is really in the mix,” said Max Verstappen about Lando Norris’ chances of challenging for the world title this year. “He is quite a few points down but if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.
“But from our side we just have to focus on ourselves because that is the only thing in our control. It has closed up which makes it very important to be at our very best, and 100 per cent. We need to be on it.
“Imola started off badly and we managed to turn it around but I wouldn’t want to have a weekend like that again.”
Lando Norris ‘hurts’ after finishing behind Max Verstappen: ‘I would have had him’
15:16 , Mike Jones
Lando Norris felt he needed just one more lap to beat Max Verstappen in Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The British driver finished only 0.725 seconds behind Verstappen in Imola as a turgid race sensationally came alive in the closing laps.
After the sole round of pit-stops, Verstappen looked set to canter to the chequered flag, but Norris – fresh from his maiden win in Miami a fortnight ago – launched a brilliant late surge.
With five laps remaining, Norris was within 1.5 seconds off Verstappen, and as they entered the 63rd and final tour here, the Red Bull was a mere nine tenths up the road.
Lando Norris ‘hurts’ after finishing behind Max Verstappen: ‘I would have had him’
Norris could have caught Verstappen at Imola
15:06 , Mike Jones
“It hurts me to say it, but with one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” said Lando Norris after finishing second at Imola last time out. “I was praying for someone to say we had one more lap. I was pushing like hell.
“It’s a shame. I fought hard right until the very last lap, but I lost out a little bit too much to Max in the beginning. One or two more laps would have been beautiful but it wasn’t to be today.
“However, we are now at a point where we can happily say we are in the position of Red Bull and Ferrari. It is a good sign. We are fighting for first or second now and it is what we have to get used to.
“It is frustrating not to win, but after last weekend and the improvements we have made, it is what we should start to expect.”
The early signs of Red Bull vulnerability and what late Lando Norris onslaught revealed
14:56 , Mike Jones
A lap or two more. That’s all Lando Norris needed, he insisted, to overhaul Max Verstappen at the end of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday and stand on the top step of the podium for the second race running.
He could well be right. From a margin as large as eight seconds with 20-odd laps to go – with Norris himself thwarting Charles Leclerc’s challenge behind him – the McLaren driver cut the deficit to the leader to 0.7 seconds by the chequered flag, with both Verstappen and Norris pushing their machinery to the absolute limit, no holds barred.
The signs of Red Bull vulnerability and what late Lando Norris onslaught revealed
Max Verstappen holds off charging Lando Norris to take victory in Imola
14:46 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Verstappen crossed the line just 0.725 seconds clear of Norris in Imola to take his fifth victory from the seven rounds so far.
Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, one place ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Carlos Sainz fifth. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and seventh respectively for Mercedes.
Verstappen looked to be on course to claim a comfortable win, but Norris’s superb charge in the closing stages left the Dutchman sweating inside his all-conquering Red Bull.
Max Verstappen holds off charging Lando Norris to take victory in Imola
Constructors’ Championship
14:36 , Mike Jones
Red Bull - 268 points
Ferrari - 212 points
McLaren - 154 points
Mercedes - 79 points
Aston Martin - 44 points
RB - 20 points
Haas - 7 points
Alpine - 1 point
Williams - 0 points
Sauber - 0 points
Driver Standings
14:26 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen - 161 points
Charles Leclerc - 113 points
Sergio Perez - 107 points
Lando Norris - 101 points
Carlos Sainz - 93 points
Oscar Piastri - 53 points
George Russell - 44 points
Lewis Hamilton - 35 points
Fernando Alonso - 33 points
Yuki Tsunoda - 15 points
Lance Stroll - 11 points
Oliver Bearman - 6 points
Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points
Daniel Ricciardo - 5 points
Esteban Ocon - 1 point
Kevin Magnussen - 1 point
Alex Albon - 0 points
Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
Pierre Gasly - 0 points
Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Logan Sargeant - 0 points
What is the 2024 F1 calendar?
14:16 , Mike Jones
ROUND 8 - MONACO
Circuit de Monaco - 24-26 May
ROUND 9 - CANADA
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 7-9 June
ROUND 10 - SPAIN
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - 21-23 June
ROUND 11 - AUSTRIA (sprint race)
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - 28-30 June
ROUND 12 - GREAT BRITAIN
Silverstone Circuit - 5-7 July
ROUND 13 - HUNGARY
Hungaroring, Budapest - 19-21 July
ROUND 14 - BELGIUM
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 26-28 July
ROUND 15 - NETHERLANDS
Circuit Zandvoort - 23-25 August
ROUND 16 - ITALY
Monza Circuit - 30 August - 1 September
ROUND 17 - AZERBAIJAN
Baku City Circuit - 13-15 September
ROUND 18 - SINGAPORE
Marina Bay Street Circuit - 20-22 September
ROUND 19 - UNITED STATES (sprint race)
Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 18-20 October
ROUND 20 - MEXICO
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 25-27 October
ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint race)
Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 1-3 November
ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit - 21-23 November
ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint race)
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 29 November - 1 December
ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit - 6-8 December
How can I watch it online and on TV?
14:06 , Mike Jones
The Monaco Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom - and ESPN in the United States. Sky’s coverage of Sunday’s race starts at 12:30pm (BST).
Highlights of qualifying in the UK will be aired on free-to-air Channel 4 at 7:30pm (BST) on Saturday evening; the race highlights are at 6:30pm (BST) on Sunday.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action at Monaco on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market.
Lewis Hamilton quickest in Monaco Grand Prix first practice
13:56 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton delivered a boost for Mercedes by clocking the fastest time in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Mercedes have been on the backfoot so far this season, but the seven-time world champion ended the opening session in the principality at the top of the order.
Hamilton saw off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with George Russell third in the other Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton quickest in Monaco Grand Prix first practice
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
13:55 , Mike Jones
When is the Monaco Grand Prix?
(All times BST)
Friday 24 May
Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 25 May
Free practice 3: 11:30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 19 May
Race: 2pm
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
13:46 , Mike Jones
The potential rain forecast for this afternoon means that the tyre plans were different for each team. Red Bull decided not to even test the soft tyres others decided they wanted at least a few quick laps on them with the circuit dry.
FP2 is due to get underway at 4pm so we’ll see how conditions have changed in a couple of hours or so.
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
13:42 , Mike Jones
Full leaderboard for FP1
13:39 , Mike Jones
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 1:12.169
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.029
3. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.126
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.227
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.228
6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.606
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +0.602
8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +0.706
9. Daniel Ricciardo (RB) +0.732
10. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.785
11. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
12. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
13. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)
14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
15. Alex Albon (Williams)
16. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
17. Logan Sargeant (Williams)
18. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
19. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)
20. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:34 , Mike Jones
Here’s Max Verstappen giving his verdict on Red Bull’s FP1 session:
"The car is so loose!" ⛸
Max gives his feedback on the car after finishing P11 🗨 pic.twitter.com/tAKOPjAPSj— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 24, 2024
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:32 , Mike Jones
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 1:12.169
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.029
3. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.126
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.227
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.228
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:31 , Mike Jones
And that’s that!
Lewis Hamilton tops free practice 1 with a time of 1.12.169. Perhaps that’s slightly deceptive as the Red Bull’s never went out on the soft tyres but plenty of other teams did and Mercedes were right up there.
George Russell finished third in between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris of McLaren. That session will make the Mercedes garage pretty pleased.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:26 , Mike Jones
As most teams switched out to the soft tyres, Red Bull decided to stick it out with the mediums. Max Verstappen is currently 11th with Sergio Perez 12th.
Perez has a puncture to the back left tyre and needs to pull in.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:24 , Mike Jones
The curse contin... no don't say it admin 🇲🇨
Zhou's debris damages Charles Leclerc's car 😬 pic.twitter.com/mfvNOXzmUF— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 24, 2024
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:22 , Mike Jones
Green flag!
The red flag doesn’t last all too long but as the cars head back out for the final nine minutes or so there’s a bit of rain threatening to come down.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:21 , Mike Jones
Red flag!
Zhou Guanyu clips the wall with his Sauber scattering debris all over the track. He immediately heads back to the garage with Charles Leclerc feeling the brunt of the crash.
Strewn bits of carbon fibre have been sucked up by the floor of the Ferrari.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:19 , Mike Jones
Hamilton goes top!
Lewis Hamilton comes out of the tunnel section and looking quick.
The seven-time world champion flies to the top of the timesheets and crosses the line with a 1:12.169 to move ahead of Piastri.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:12 , Mike Jones
Oscar Piastri has been having a decent season for McLaren and will feel a touch unlucky not to be further up the drivers’ championship leaderboard.
As for FP1, he’s just taken a tenth of a second off Russell’s time and his back on top.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:07 , Mike Jones
There’s a few teams taking a look at how the soft tyres run now. Oscar Piastri retook top spot before a flying run from Mercedes’ George Russell sees him ramp up the heat with a quick time of 1:12.295.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:06 , Mike Jones
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
13:01 , Mike Jones
Charles Leclerc’s time of 1:13.132 (on the hard tyres) continues to lead the way. Lewis Hamilton is making a move on the mediums and puts in a quick lap.
He’s just one tenth of a second off the pace of the Ferrari and now sits second just ahead of Max Verstappen. Can Mercedes have a good weekend here?
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:59 , Mike Jones
Halfway through the session and Max Verstappen clips a barrier with his back right wheel while bombing it around at 200kmph. It’s only a clip so no lasting damage but the Verstappen is wrestling with the Red Bull.
“The car is on a knife edge!” he radios back to the garage.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:53 , Mike Jones
Carlos Sainz has joined his Ferrari teammate near the top of the leaderboard. He’s three tenths of a second slower than Charles Leclerc but that positions him safely in second place.
Surprisingly, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda has also shot up to third. He’s switched onto the medium tyres which will be a big factor into his time.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:50 , Mike Jones
In a immeditate response to Verstappen’s time, Lando Norris and then Charles Leclerc both leap into first place shaving five tenths of a second off the Red Bull’s time.
Gasly’s car is undergoing extensive repairs. The hood covering the engine has been removed and this is a problem for him.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:48 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen goes fastest!
Verstappen remains on a different plan to the rest of the field with his car on the medium tyres. He eclipses Charles Leclerc’s quickest time and with a 1:13.974.
Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly is pulled back into the garage by Alpine who need to investigate a power-unit issue.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:41 , Mike Jones
10 minutes into the session and the homegrown boy, Charles Leclerc tops the leaderboard with a 1:14.521. Behind him are both McLaren’s with Verstappen’s Red Bull currently fourth.
The commentators on Sky Sports F1 seem to think Red Bull may struggle this week with their car more suited to long smooth straights instead of the narrow, winding streets of Monaco.
We’ll have to see if that is the case.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:38 , Mike Jones
The two early leaders, Piastri and Verstappen, went out on medium tyres with the rest of the field electing for the hards. The three tyre types for this weekend are the softest they can be.
As the session moves on Lewis Hamilton takes his Mercedes on a 1:16 lap but doesn’t hold onto the lead for long with Charles Leclerc and, of course, Max Verstappen quickly going faster.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:35 , Mike Jones
There first few laps of FP1 see the drivers attempt to warm up the tyres and get some grip on the track. By qualifying tomorrow the circuit will be running at least a couple of seconds quicker than today.
Oscar Piastri is the early leader with a time of 1:18.002 in his McLaren. Max Verstappen’s Red Bull trails him by three tenths of a second.
Monaco GP - FP1 LIVE
12:32 , Mike Jones
Word has just come through a team radio that rain is expected towards the back end of this session. That should mean a lot of intense activity from the teams in the early stages.
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
12:31 , Mike Jones
Here we go then.
A few of the drivers have made their way out onto the track quite early but Charles Leclerc is one of the ones taking his time tp move through the pit lane.
Free practice 1 is underway.
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
12:24 , Mike Jones
The teams all look busy and prepared of this opening session. There are a few dark clouds appearing over the hills nearby which could mean rain at some point in the session.
At the minute there’s only a 53% chance that it could turn up so we’ll have to wait and see.
At Monaco, a street track which is tight and narrow, it is difficult to overtake during the race. That makes tactical pit stops and, especially, qualifying a crucial part of the weekend.
Whoever takes pole has the best chance of securing the win. In FP1 and FP2 today, the drivers will get the chance to feel out the circuit and see how it is running ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying.
Leclerc looking forward to Monaco GP
12:20 , Mike Jones
The Monaco Grand Prix is Charles Leclerc is a home race and the Ferrari driver says he is looking forward to the race. He’s second in the drivers’ championship and believes that his car has a great chance this week.
He said: “We know how important qualifying is here and if we get on pole that gives up a great chance of doing what we want which is to win.”
Monaco Grand Prix LIVE
12:16 , Mike Jones
Norris on taking on Verstappen
12:12 , Mike Jones
Lando Norris, who moved to Monaco at the end of 2021, has only finished on the podium once before at this Grand Prix. The British driver said: “I am what, 60 points behind Max? It is a long way to go and our recent results don’t change anything.
“We have not thought about it (the championship). We have put ourselves in there.
“We lost a lot of points at the first few races of the year and that has hurt us but we are only a third of the way through the season, so there are plenty of opportunities for us.
“We know there will be some things coming in the future, and if turns around we can start to come back at the other teams.”
Verstappen on Norris challenging for world title
12:06 , Mike Jones
“He is really in the mix,” said Max Verstappen about Lando Norris’ chances of challenging for the world title this year. “He is quite a few points down but if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.
“But from our side we just have to focus on ourselves because that is the only thing in our control. It has closed up which makes it very important to be at our very best, and 100 per cent. We need to be on it.
“Imola started off badly and we managed to turn it around but I wouldn’t want to have a weekend like that again.”
Toto Wolff drops major hint over Lewis Hamilton replacement at Mercedes
12:00 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton’s shock decision to move to Ferrari from the 2025 season has left a gap in Mercedes’ driver lineup that they have not yet filled.
On February 1, it was announced that Hamilton would leave Mercedes, despite having signed a two-year deal with the team, and would race for Ferrari from the following year.
Charles Leclerc will partner Hamilton at Ferrari, while Toto Wolff has been linked with a number of possible replacements.
Toto Wolff drops major hint over Lewis Hamilton replacement at Mercedes
Michael Schumacher’s family wins compensation for fake AI ‘interview’
11:54 , Mike Jones
Michael Schumacher’s family has won €200,000 (£170,287) in compensation from a German magazine after they published an ‘exclusive interview’ with the F1 legend based on answers generated by an artificial intelligence programme.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has not been seen publicly since suffering a near-fatal brain injury while skiing in December 2013 in Meribel, France. His wife Corinna has insisted on protecting Schumacher’s privacy in the decade since, with his medical condition shrouded in secrecy as he continues to recover at home in Switzerland.
Yet German outlet Die Aktuelle sparked a huge backlash online after plastering Schumacher’s face on the front cover of the 15 April 2023 edition of their magazine with “exclusive interview” as the accompanying tag.
Michael Schumacher’s family wins compensation for fake AI ‘interview’
Max Verstappen expects Lando Norris to provide stern world title challenge
11:48 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen believes Lando Norris is ready to rival him for the world championship as the Red Bull driver cast doubt on his own chances at the Monaco Grand Prix.
After his maiden victory in Miami, Norris chased Verstappen all the way to the chequered flag in Imola, finishing less than a second behind the Dutchman.
Norris is 60 points off the title pace ahead of this weekend’s race in the principality, but Verstappen said: “He (Norris) is really in the mix.”
Max Verstappen expects Lando Norris to provide stern world title challenge
The ‘difficult’ reason Fernando Alonso didn’t join Max Verstappen at Red Bull
11:42 , Mike Jones
Helmut Marko has revealed the reason why Fernando Alonso has never joined Max Verstappen at Red Bull despite plenty of conversations between the iconic Spaniard and the currently dominant F1 team.
The 42-year-old Alonso has spoken to Red Bull about potentially signing for them a number of times over the years but committed what is likely the remainder of his F1 career to Aston Martin when signing a new deal until at least 2026 back in April.
Alonso has previously confirmed that at least one set of talks included chief technical officer Adrian Newey but Red Bull adviser Marko has stated that the veteran wouldn’t get on well as a teammate to three-time world champion Verstappen and thus the move will never happen.
The ‘difficult’ reason Fernando Alonso didn’t join Max Verstappen at Red Bull
Mercedes confident secret weapon can inspire F1 title challenge again
11:36 , Mike Jones
Mercedes have endured a tough couple of seasons but are optimistic that a secret weapon could have them challenging for the title once more within a couple of years.
Since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of the 2021 season, where Lewis Hamilton was controversially denied a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ World Championship title but Mercedes did win an eighth straight Constructors’ Championship, the Silver Arrows have struggled to compete with a dominant Red Bull outfit.
Hamilton’s race-win drought now stands at more than two-and-a-half years, while teammate George Russell has triumphed in just one race during that period, with Max Verstappen becoming the unstoppable force in F1.
Mercedes confident secret weapon can inspire F1 title challenge again
Wolff addresses Mercedes development
11:30 , Mike Jones
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff spoke about their performance in the Emilia Romagna GP saying: “It’s not possible to see it in terms of the result, but we have taken a small step forward this weekend.
“Our closest competitors have also done so recently, but we have closed the gap to the front a little.
“We still have a lot of work to do and, of course, we are all frustrated with sixth and seventh. But there is more to come, and it is all about making incremental gains.
“These are what we need to keep delivering if we are to get ourselves in the fight with the three teams ahead of us.”
Lewis Hamilton reacts after sixth place finish at Imola: ‘We are in no man’s land’
11:24 , Mike Jones
Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes are in “no man’s land” after he finished a distant sixth in Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Mercedes brought a raft of updates to this weekend’s race in Imola, but they failed to reverse the team’s underwhelming campaign.
Hamilton took the chequered flag 35 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen as the Dutch driver crossed the line just 0.725 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari, 7.9 seconds adrift.
George Russell finished seventh, dropping behind team-mate Hamilton when he was put on a two-stop tyre strategy.
Lewis Hamilton reacts after sixth place finish at Imola: ‘We are in no man’s land’
Norris could have caught Verstappen at Imola
11:18 , Mike Jones
“It hurts me to say it, but with one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” said Lando Norris after finishing second at Imola last time out. “I was praying for someone to say we had one more lap. I was pushing like hell.
“It’s a shame. I fought hard right until the very last lap, but I lost out a little bit too much to Max in the beginning. One or two more laps would have been beautiful but it wasn’t to be today.
“However, we are now at a point where we can happily say we are in the position of Red Bull and Ferrari. It is a good sign. We are fighting for first or second now and it is what we have to get used to.
“It is frustrating not to win, but after last weekend and the improvements we have made, it is what we should start to expect.”
Lando Norris ‘hurts’ after finishing behind Max Verstappen: ‘I would have had him’
11:12 , Mike Jones
Lando Norris felt he needed just one more lap to beat Max Verstappen in Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The British driver finished only 0.725 seconds behind Verstappen in Imola as a turgid race sensationally came alive in the closing laps.
After the sole round of pit-stops, Verstappen looked set to canter to the chequered flag, but Norris – fresh from his maiden win in Miami a fortnight ago – launched a brilliant late surge.
With five laps remaining, Norris was within 1.5 seconds off Verstappen, and as they entered the 63rd and final tour here, the Red Bull was a mere nine tenths up the road.
Lando Norris ‘hurts’ after finishing behind Max Verstappen: ‘I would have had him’
Max Verstappen holds off charging Lando Norris to take victory in Imola
11:06 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Verstappen crossed the line just 0.725 seconds clear of Norris in Imola to take his fifth victory from the seven rounds so far.
Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, one place ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Carlos Sainz fifth. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and seventh respectively for Mercedes.
Verstappen looked to be on course to claim a comfortable win, but Norris’s superb charge in the closing stages left the Dutchman sweating inside his all-conquering Red Bull.
Max Verstappen holds off charging Lando Norris to take victory in Imola
The early signs of Red Bull vulnerability and what late Lando Norris onslaught revealed
11:00 , Mike Jones
A lap or two more. That’s all Lando Norris needed, he insisted, to overhaul Max Verstappen at the end of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday and stand on the top step of the podium for the second race running.
He could well be right. From a margin as large as eight seconds with 20-odd laps to go – with Norris himself thwarting Charles Leclerc’s challenge behind him – the McLaren driver cut the deficit to the leader to 0.7 seconds by the chequered flag, with both Verstappen and Norris pushing their machinery to the absolute limit, no holds barred.
The signs of Red Bull vulnerability and what late Lando Norris onslaught revealed
Constructors’ Championship
10:54 , Mike Jones
Red Bull - 268 points
Ferrari - 212 points
McLaren - 154 points
Mercedes - 79 points
Aston Martin - 44 points
RB - 20 points
Haas - 7 points
Alpine - 1 point
Williams - 0 points
Sauber - 0 points
Driver Standings
10:48 , Mike Jones
Max Verstappen - 161 points
Charles Leclerc - 113 points
Sergio Perez - 107 points
Lando Norris - 101 points
Carlos Sainz - 93 points
Oscar Piastri - 53 points
George Russell - 44 points
Lewis Hamilton - 35 points
Fernando Alonso - 33 points
Yuki Tsunoda - 15 points
Lance Stroll - 11 points
Oliver Bearman - 6 points
Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points
Daniel Ricciardo - 5 points
Esteban Ocon - 1 point
Kevin Magnussen - 1 point
Alex Albon - 0 points
Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
Pierre Gasly - 0 points
Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Logan Sargeant - 0 points
What is the 2024 F1 calendar?
10:42 , Mike Jones
ROUND 8 - MONACO
Circuit de Monaco - 24-26 May
ROUND 9 - CANADA
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 7-9 June
ROUND 10 - SPAIN
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - 21-23 June
ROUND 11 - AUSTRIA (sprint race)
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - 28-30 June
ROUND 12 - GREAT BRITAIN
Silverstone Circuit - 5-7 July
ROUND 13 - HUNGARY
Hungaroring, Budapest - 19-21 July
ROUND 14 - BELGIUM
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 26-28 July
ROUND 15 - NETHERLANDS
Circuit Zandvoort - 23-25 August
ROUND 16 - ITALY
Monza Circuit - 30 August - 1 September
ROUND 17 - AZERBAIJAN
Baku City Circuit - 13-15 September
ROUND 18 - SINGAPORE
Marina Bay Street Circuit - 20-22 September
ROUND 19 - UNITED STATES (sprint race)
Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 18-20 October
ROUND 20 - MEXICO
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 25-27 October
ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint race)
Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 1-3 November
ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit - 21-23 November
ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint race)
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 29 November - 1 December
ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit - 6-8 December
How can I watch it online and on TV?
10:36 , Mike Jones
The Monaco Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom - and ESPN in the United States. Sky’s coverage of Sunday’s race starts at 12:30pm (BST).
Highlights of qualifying in the UK will be aired on free-to-air Channel 4 at 7:30pm (BST) on Saturday evening; the race highlights are at 6:30pm (BST) on Sunday.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action at Monaco on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market.
When is the Monaco Grand Prix?
10:30 , Mike Jones
(All times BST)
Friday 24 May
Free practice 1: 12:30pm
Free practice 2: 4pm
Saturday 25 May
Free practice 3: 11:30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday 19 May
Race: 2pm
Good morning!
09:28 , Mike Jones
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Friday’s action sees the drivers’ complete the opening two practice sessions with McLaren’s Lando Norris eager to continue his fine form and challenge Max Verstappen at the top of the leaderboard. The Red Bull driver will be all too aware that he only just got over the line to win at Imola and will want to stamp his dominance back on the sport with an impressive display this weekend.
Elsewhere, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton is hoping to recover from his worst ever start to an F1 season while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is keen to shine on his home track and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez hopes to also close the gap on Verstappen.
FP1 is due to get underway around 12.30pm this afternoon with FP2 scheduled for 4pm.
