Ferrari mark their intent in Monaco practice runs

Ferrari set the pace in Monaco practice as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton traded the fastest times. Leclerc led FP1 with 1:13.978, and Hamilton clocked 0.226 seconds slower in that session; in FP2, Hamilton posted 1:13.026, 0.111 seconds ahead of Leclerc, who had topped the earlier session. Max Verstappen was third in both sessions, with rookie Isack Hadjar escaping a barrier crash near the swimming-pool chicane unharmed. World championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes’ George Russell swapped fourth and fifth as Mercedes struggled to match Ferrari’s pace. The track’s tight, twisty sections and reduced downforce favored handling over outright power, highlighting a potential Monaco showdown ahead of qualifying.