23/05/2025 18:05
Charles Leclerc topped a twice red-flag-disrupted second free
practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix, having been quickest in
FP1, too. The Ferrari driver's lap time of 1:11.355 was +0.038
clear of Oscar Piastri in second. Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and
Liam Lawson rounded out the top five at the principality. Isack
Hadjar and Piastri caused the red flag stoppages within the first
20 minutes of the hour, but were both able to continue in the
session given the relatively minor damage inflicted on the Racing
Bulls and McLaren cars. The Frenchman, although quick, had an
eventful session, having a second incident in the final 10 minutes,
but this time managing to avoid inducing a red flag interruption.
Ollie Bearman will be investigated after the session for a red flag
infringement. Full Monaco Grand Prix FP2 report can be found below.
Opening phase and red flag stoppages As soon as the clock started
for the second free practice session of the weekend, the Circuit de
Monaco was immediately immediately busy, with a queue to get out
the pit lane. Lawson and Alex Albon topped the timing boards early,
before being supplanted by Leclerc and Hamilton around five minutes
into the hour. The Ferraris were the first of the front runners to
set the pace, but would soon be replaced themselves, this time by
Max Verstappen and Piastri. Norris and George Russell, meanwhile,
split the two SF-25s. The Dutchman's 1:12.922 was still quickest
when Hadjar triggered the second red flag of the weekend with just
seven minutes gone. The Racing Bulls driver caught his rear left
wheel on the wall on the outside of the Nouvelle Chicane. After a
stoppage of a few minutes, the final hour of running for the day
re-commenced. Once it did, the field, mainly equipped with the
yellow-walled medium Pirelli - which was the soft compound last
year - continued to improve their lap times. Verstappen had been
pushed down to seventh, with Leclerc top, when Piastri brought out
the second red flag of the session just before the 20 minute mark.
Locking up his inside tyre, the Australian slid helplessly into the
wall on the outside of Sainte Devote, losing his front wing in the
process. Second half The session got back underway with 35 minutes
to go. Straight away, Verstappen was aggrieved by the extensive
traffic heading through the Swimming Pool section, taking to team
radio to complain. Whilst Hamilton headed to the top of the timing
board, Ollie Bearman was noted by race control for a red flag
infringement. That was promptly upgraded to a post-session
stewards' investigation . Fernando Alonso continued to showcase
Aston Martin's newly-found single-lap pace, going top with a
1:11.890 just past the half-hour point of the session. Home hero
Leclerc emphatically underlined Ferrari's strong performance around
the streets of Monte Carlo by going almost half a second clear of
the Spaniard a few minutes later. Whilst Norris and then Hamilton
split the pair, neither could get within three-tenths of the
Monegasque driver out front. After shown early promise, Lawson
continued to have his best session of the year, slotting into third
as the clock approached the 45-minute mark. However, the seven-time
F1 drivers' champion would soon slash his team-mate's advantage to
just one tenth to push Norris and the New Zeanlander back down the
order slightly. Piastri and Hadjar, recovering well from their
early issues, ensured the top six were two-by-two for a while
before the former joined Leclerc in the 1:11.3s. That was before
the latter tagged the wall for the second time in FP2, this time at
the first corner. The Frenchman heavily hitting the outside wall to
dis-align his left rear corner. "Man, I am so stupid. I think I'm
just dumb," he told his team over radio in his frustration.
Verstappen, meanwhile, found the run-off area at Mirabeau. With the
Dutchman tenth and his team-mate P11, things were about to get
worse for Red Bull, with Yuki Tsunoda confirmed to be investigated
after the session for a yellow flag infringement. However, that was
then reversed, with a clarification of 'no further action'
communicated. As the pack reverted back to slower Pirelli
compounds, the order at the top of the timing board was set,
Leclerc topping his second session of the day after breaking his
home grand prix curse 12 months ago.
