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Monaco GP: Perez fastest in FP1 from Sainz as Leclerc has gearbox issue

  • Darshan Chokhani
    • F1, Monaco GP

    MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - MAY 20: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 20, 2021 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202105200563 // Usage for editorial use only //

    Red Bull led the way in F1 Monaco GP FP1, with Sergio Perez first and Max Verstappen third, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz slotted in second.

    The Thursday running in F1 Monaco GP saw Red Bull start on a good note in FP1, as Perez led the way with a 1m12.487s lap. It was almost a 1-2 but for an improvement from Ferrari’s Sainz (1m12.606s), who pushed Verstappen (1m12.648s) to third.

    While Perez set his best time on the soft compound, both Sainz and Verstappen did so on the medium. The Spaniard had a slight wall hit but managed to hit the track again, as AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly (1m12.929s) slotted in fourth, on the soft tyre.

    Mercedes runners Lewis Hamilton (1m12.995s) and Valtteri Bottas (1m13.131s) were fifth and sixth on the medium compound, much like McLaren’s Lando Norris (1m13.236s) and Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel (1m13.732s) in seventh and eighth.

    The other AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda (1m13.746s) was ninth on the soft tyre, while Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen (1m14.081s) rounded out the Top 10 – both having small offs in the session, which hurt their tyres.

    The other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll missed out on a Top 10 finish, in 11th, as he led Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso – all three on the medium tyres. The Spaniard hit the barrier on the final corner to damage the front wing.

    There was a brief VSC period for it but he managed to pit and continue on later. Williams’ Nicholas Latifi did well in 14th on the soft tyre, with McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo in 15th – where the team focused on running tests with both the drivers.

    Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was 16th from the Haas duo where Nikita Mazepin finished ahead of Mick Schumacher in a better showing, despite wall brush for the Russian, as Williams’ George Russell was 19th from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

    Both the Haas drivers set their best time on the soft tyres, while Russell did so on the hard compound. For the Monegasque, it was an early end with a gearbox issue, as his Monaco curse struck early in the F1 Monaco GP weekend.

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