2024 F1 Round 8 Monaco GP qualifying: Leclerc takes home pole in 1m10.270s, Verstappen sixth after barrier brush ends pole streak

On the evening of 25 May, Beijing time, qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, Round 8 of the 2024 Formula 1 season, took place on the Monte Carlo street circuit. Home favourite Charles Leclerc set a 1m10.270s in Q3 to claim his third pole at this venue by a clear 0.154s. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was second, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen could manage only sixth, bringing his run of consecutive pole positions to an end.

Leclerc had shown strong form throughout the weekend. Although he did not top either Q1 or Q2, he delivered when it mattered in Q3. The Monegasque, who had never won his home Grand Prix, took pole here for the third time after doing so in 2021 and 2022. Piastri was 0.154s behind, the actual gap between their Q3 times, leaving no doubt about who had secured pole.

Sainz was third, edging McLaren driver Lando Norris by just 0.024s as Ferrari and McLaren locked out the top four. George Russell placed fifth, quickest behind the two leading teams.

Verstappen was bidding for an unprecedented ninth consecutive pole and his eighth from the start of the season. He pushed the car to the limit on his final attempt but brushed the barrier at Turn 1, failed to improve his earlier time and had to settle for sixth, his worst starting position since the previous year’s United States Grand Prix. Troubled by bumps and kerbs throughout the weekend, Red Bull never truly entered the fight for pole, while Sergio Pérez suffered an even earlier exit in Q1.

One of Q1’s biggest casualties was Pérez, the 2022 Monaco winner. Despite a final all-out attempt, he was eliminated in 18th, 0.173s short of the cut, missing Q2 here for the second year in succession. His radio message revealed his frustration: “Is this a joke?” Fernando Alonso was 16th and partly blamed traffic for the result. Sainz was investigated for allegedly impeding Albon in Q1 but received no penalty.

Norris led Verstappen through Q2. Gasly sprang a surprise by reaching the top five on his final flying lap, knocking team mate Ocon out of the top ten. The Frenchman had struggled all season with the competitiveness of Alpine’s A524, but this was his first Q3 appearance of the year; he went on to place tenth in the final session. Hülkenberg was also investigated for allegedly impeding Ocon and escaped a penalty, while RB’s Ricciardo exited in Q2 in 13th.

Tsunoda reached Q3 for the third consecutive event and finished eighth, ahead of Williams driver Albon. Team mate Ricciardo’s 13th place rounded out RB’s solid performance over the weekend. Only about a tenth of a second separated third-placed Sainz from Hamilton in seventh, illustrating just how fierce the contest was in the middle of the leading group.

Qualifying took place in dry conditions, with the air at 21°C and the track at 44°C. Pirelli brought its softest range: C3 hard, C4 medium and C5 soft. After the session, both Haas cars were disqualified from qualifying because their DRS flap gaps exceeded the permitted maximum of 85mm.