Local favorite Leclerc leads Monaco practice as Ferrari makes a strong comeback, while he downplays his own speed ahead of crucial qualifying.

MONTE CARLO, May 24 — Local favorite Charles Leclerc defied his own modest expectations by topping both practice sessions for Ferrari at yesterday’s Monaco Grand Prix opener.

The 27-year-old Monegasque, who won last year’s race to become the first home winner in the modern era of Formula One, kept hopes alive for a repeat victory and lifted Ferrari’s spirits after a challenging start to the season.

Leclerc, who had described his expectations for the weekend as “low” on Thursday, set the fastest lap with a time of one minute 11.355 seconds, narrowly beating championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren by 0.038 seconds.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton placed third in the second Ferrari, just a tenth of a second behind his teammate, ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren — signaling that Ferrari and McLaren could be the main contenders this weekend.

Liam Lawson, dropped by Red Bull after only two races this season, finished fifth for RB, ahead of teammate Isack Hadjar, who suffered two heavy crashes during a session interrupted twice by red flags.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was seventh for Aston Martin, followed by Williams’ Alex Albon, Mercedes newcomer Kimi Antonelli, and Red Bull’s defending four-time world champion Max Verstappen along with teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

George Russell was 12th for Mercedes, a position that may not reflect his true pace for today’s qualifying, which is crucial on Monaco’s tight, narrow, and bumpy street circuit.

During the second practice session, Hadjar triggered the first red flag after crashing at the Nouvelle Chicane, damaging his left rear wheel but managing to keep the car moving despite the tire rotating on the rim.

Between sessions, Lance Stroll received a one-place grid penalty for blocking at the hairpin during the first practice, which caused an accident involving Leclerc — who nonetheless recovered to set the fastest time.

The second red flag came when Piastri hit the wall at Saint Devote, losing his front wing before carefully driving back to the pits. The incident was a rare mistake from the Australian, who leads Norris by 13 points in the championship.

Shortly after, Verstappen expressed frustration over rookie Gabriel Bortoleto’s cautious pace in his Sauber at the Swimming Pool section, calling it “so dangerous.

Ferrari’s strong pace was further confirmed when Hamilton briefly topped the times after 29 minutes, only to be beaten by Alonso — proving that experience and talent remain key in the sport.

Leclerc then reclaimed the top spot, surprising even his team given his earlier low expectations for the weekend.

Hamilton attempted to close the gap but settled for third, 0.486 seconds behind Leclerc, a spot he briefly lost to Lawson before climbing back to second, just a tenth of a second off his teammate.

With seven minutes left, Piastri edged ahead by 0.038 seconds, only for Hadjar to crash again at Sainte Devote, prompting more frustration from the young driver: “So stupid,” he told his team. — AFP