Antonelli impresses and enters the pole position battle
The final practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend significantly altered the competitive picture compared to Friday. Mercedes arrived with a heavily revised setup and not only closed the gap to Ferrari but actually moved ahead, thanks largely to an outstanding performance from Kimi Antonelli.
The young Italian looked remarkably comfortable throughout FP3, displaying confidence and precision around the narrow streets of Monte Carlo. Mercedes engineers made substantial changes overnight, notably softening the rear end of the W17 while also focusing heavily on braking balance. The front end, which had appeared sluggish and unresponsive during Friday’s sessions, was transformed into one of the car’s strongest assets.
The warmer conditions on Saturday also played a role. Higher track temperatures naturally shifted the balance towards the front axle, helping Mercedes unlock more performance. From there, Antonelli did the rest.
Even at this early stage, it is difficult not to be impressed by how quickly the championship leader has adapted. George Russell finished fourth, but the data suggests he currently lacks the same level of confidence and feeling that Antonelli has found around Monaco. The gap between the two Mercedes drivers in FP3 was close to eight tenths of a second, underlining just how exceptional Antonelli’s session was.
There is still a long way to go, and Monaco is a circuit where mistakes can appear at any moment. However, the progress made by Mercedes, combined with Antonelli’s confidence under braking, stronger front-end response and improved rear stability, means his name must now be included among the leading contenders for pole position.
Charles Leclerc remains quick but brake issues persist
For Charles Leclerc, the home favourite and arguably the driver carrying the highest expectations this weekend, the data paints a clear picture.
The raw pace is there. The cornering performance is there. The Ferrari SF-26 appears competitive throughout almost the entire lap. The main weakness continues to be braking.
Minor signs of trouble can already be seen through Massenet, but the issue becomes particularly evident at the Nouvelle Chicane and later at the second Swimming Pool chicane. In those braking zones, the data clearly shows Leclerc struggling to stop the car with complete confidence.
Rather than attacking the corner entry immediately, the Monegasque driver appears forced to be cautious for a brief moment before committing fully to the turn-in phase. Around Monaco, where confidence is everything, even a small hesitation can cost valuable lap time. According to the information available, the issue appears linked to rear brake disc temperatures and the balance between conventional braking and energy recovery systems. Ferrari has not yet found the ideal compromise, leaving Leclerc vulnerable to cold rear brakes when approaching the circuit’s heaviest braking zones.
The consequence is an unstable rear end under braking, reducing driver confidence at the exact moment when maximum commitment is required.
The encouraging aspect for Ferrari is that the car’s mechanical platform and chassis performance remain extremely strong. The challenge is ensuring that Leclerc can fully trust the car when braking. If that problem is solved, he remains a genuine contender for pole position.
Lewis Hamilton remains in contention
Lewis Hamilton also enters qualifying as one of the main candidates for pole position. The seven-time world champion finished just four thousandths of a second behind Charles Leclerc and only three tenths adrift of Antonelli.
His data profile is notably different from that of his Ferrari teammate.
The Briton appears very comfortable in the slower sections of the circuit and enjoys significantly better confidence under braking. Unlike Leclerc, braking performance does not appear to be a major limitation. The areas where Hamilton loses time are the circuit’s few medium-speed corners, particularly in Sector 1. Sainte Dévote, Massenet and the Casino section all seem to expose a slight lack of confidence compared to Antonelli.
Whether that was a genuine handling limitation or a deliberate effort to leave a margin and avoid incidents such as Oliver Bearman’s crash remains unclear. Nevertheless, most of Hamilton’s deficit to Antonelli was accumulated in those sections, while the remainder of the lap, including the heavy braking zones, was highly competitive.
A three-way battle for pole?
Heading into qualifying, the overall picture appears increasingly clear.
If Ferrari can solve or at least minimise Charles Leclerc’s braking issues, the Monegasque driver may still be the favourite for pole position at his home race. However, any advantage is likely to be extremely small. The evidence from FP3 suggests a genuine three-way fight at the front. Charles Leclerc remains a leading contender, Lewis Hamilton is firmly in the mix, and Kimi Antonelli has emerged as perhaps the biggest threat after a stunning final practice session.
For now, George Russell and Max Verstappen appear to be slightly further back, although Monaco has a habit of producing surprises when it matters most.
One thing is certain: all the ingredients are in place for one of the most exciting qualifying sessions of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The battle for pole position is wide open, and the margins could be measured in mere thousandths of a second.
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