Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, May 22, 2021. – Luca Bruno / AP / Sipa
We do not know what the equivalent of “cocorico” on the Rock is. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) took pole position on Saturday at home at the Monaco Grand Prix, the fifth round of the Formula 1 season. However, the Monegasque crashed his car, causing the early end of qualifying in the dying seconds.
If the Ferrari is repaired according to the established rules, Leclerc will start Sunday at 3 p.m. in front of the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull). Finland’s Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) and Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) will start on the second row, while championship leader and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) will only be 7th on the grid.
Eighth pole for Leclerc
This is the first time this season and the eighth time in his young career that 23-year-old Leclerc has set the fastest qualifying time. His last pole position dates back to October 2019 in Mexico. In the final seconds, Leclerc lost control of his car in the swimming pool sector in the port of the Principality, ending up in the safety rails. This caused the early end of the session and prevented the drivers from possibly improving their times.
“It was of course not done on purpose”, reacted Leclerc, “these are things that happen in an urban circuit”. Leclerc, 5th among drivers, and Ferrari, 4th among manufacturers, are in surprising form this weekend and could achieve the first big surprise of the year on Sunday. Only Hamilton, three times, and Verstappen, once, have won the Grand Prix so far.
Gasly 6th, Ocon 11th
Briton Lando Norris (McLaren) and Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) will start in 5th and 6th places. Behind Hamilton 7th, we will find another world champion (four times), Sebastien Vettel (Aston Martin). Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) complete the top 10. The other Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) is 11th.
Formula 1 is back in Monaco, after a cancellation last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With a maximum of 7,500 spectators, or 40% of the seats in the stands, this is the first GP of the season with so many people.