Lando Norris shattered the monitor report to place McLaren on pole for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, edging out hometown favourite Charles Leclerc, who will begin alongside him on the entrance row.
McLaren teammate and championship chief Oscar Piastri secured third, whereas Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton certified fourth – however might face a stewards’ inquiry for allegedly impeding Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver will begin fifth.
Norris set the tempo early in Q3 however needed to go even sooner after Leclerc briefly snatched provisional pole on the flag. In the top, Norris reclaimed the highest spot by 0.109 seconds, denying Leclerc a fourth Monaco pole in 5 years.
The Briton clocked a blistering lap of 1 minute, 9.954 seconds across the treacherous, twisty, metal-fenced road circuit – a significant assertion in his title bid.
“It’s been a long time coming. I feel good. I don’t think you realize how good this feels after quite a few struggles in the last few months,” Norris mentioned. “Monaco is a beautiful place. The hardest track to do it and up against the hometown hero.”
Norris trails Piastri by 13 factors after seven races. Overtaking is notoriously troublesome in Monaco, and though a second pit cease is obligatory this 12 months, pole place within the principality stays a large benefit.
Leclerc had been quickest within the first qualifying part, however Norris was faster within the second.
“We know that we don’t quite have the car to go for wins this year, but this weekend the car felt good. Starting second here, it’s going to be tricky to take that first place,” mentioned the Monegasque driver.
Qualifying became a nightmare for Mercedes, with Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli crashing on the finish of Q1 and qualifying fifteenth. George Russell’s automobile then stopped within the tunnel with a suspected electrical problem.
“Game over. Sorry, mate,” his race engineer mentioned over the staff radio.
The session was red-flagged with 10 minutes remaining in Q2 as marshals pushed Russell’s automobile into the daylight and down an escape street.
Russell, fourth within the standings and certainly one of solely 4 drivers to attain factors in each race this season, will begin 14th.
Oliver Bearman, who acquired a 10-place grid penalty in Friday follow for failing to gradual underneath crimson flags, certified seventeenth. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who carries a one-place grid drop, certified nineteenth.
Source: www.dailysabah.com