Ferrari wrapped up the final practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc in second place, 0.327 seconds behind the fastest time, and Lewis Hamilton close behind in third, 0.331 seconds off the pace. While Kimi Antonelli emerged as the standout performer ahead of qualifying, attention inside the Ferrari garage was once again drawn to Charles Leclerc’s continued complaints about the car’s brakes.
The Maranello team had dominated Friday’s running, locking out the top two positions in both practice sessions and reinforcing the belief that the SF-26 could be the car to beat around the streets of Monte Carlo. Ferrari’s strengths in low-speed corners, mechanical grip and traction have been evident throughout the weekend, particularly in the sections where early throttle application makes the biggest difference.
However, one of the main talking points heading into FP3 was whether Ferrari had managed to solve the brake-related issues that had troubled Charles Leclerc during Friday’s sessions. Another notable absence was team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who was not present at the circuit on Saturday due to unspecified medical checks.
Ferrari starts strongly but Mercedes closes the gap
Ferrari wasted no time getting onto the track, sending both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton out on fresh soft tyres as soon as the session began. The two SF-26s immediately set the pace, with Leclerc initially leading the way thanks to a 1:15.184 lap, just 0.062 seconds faster than his teammate.
During his next attempt, the Monegasque driver was forced to abandon his lap after encountering traffic from Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac near Casino Square. Lewis Hamilton then responded by improving by around seven tenths of a second, although the seven-time world champion survived a major scare when a lock-up at the penultimate corner nearly sent him into the barriers.
As the session progressed, the track continued to evolve rapidly, allowing drivers to extract more performance from the soft compound. Mercedes, in particular, appeared much more competitive than it had been on Friday, with both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli showing improved confidence and pace.
While Charles Leclerc focused primarily on qualifying simulations, Lewis Hamilton shifted towards a programme that included shorter race runs with a heavier fuel load, giving Ferrari valuable data ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Antonelli emerges as pole position contender
At one stage, Charles Leclerc requested a front-end adjustment of four degrees as Ferrari continued to fine-tune the setup. Meanwhile, both Mercedes drivers looked increasingly comfortable, with lap times arriving more naturally than they had on the opening day of the weekend.
A softer mechanical setup appeared to help the Mercedes W17 maximise its power delivery at lower speeds, an important advantage around Monaco’s tight and technical layout.
With approximately 25 minutes remaining, the leading teams returned to the track on another set of fresh soft tyres. It was at that moment that Kimi Antonelli truly announced himself as a serious threat for pole position. The championship leader pulled roughly three tenths clear of both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, placing Mercedes firmly in the conversation for Saturday afternoon.
Leclerc’s brake concerns return before qualifying
The session was then interrupted by a red flag after Oliver Bearman crashed his Haas at Massenet with around 14 minutes remaining. The incident limited the amount of track time available for final qualifying preparations and added another layer of uncertainty before the decisive session.
When the track reopened with only a few minutes left on the clock, drivers rushed back out for one final attempt. Charles Leclerc continued pushing hard but suffered a lock-up at the exit of the tunnel while trying to improve his time.
More significantly, the Ferrari driver once again voiced his frustration over the radio regarding the braking performance of his SF-26: “These brakes are horrible. Horrible.”
The comment suggests that Ferrari may still have work to do before qualifying begins. While the team remains firmly in the fight at the front, Monaco often comes down to the smallest details, and any lack of confidence under braking can prove costly on a circuit where precision is everything.
Friday’s dominance may have positioned Ferrari as the early favourite, but after FP3 the picture looks considerably less clear. Mercedes, led by an impressive Kimi Antonelli, has re-emerged as a genuine contender, setting the stage for what promises to be a fascinating battle for pole position.
Leave a Reply