Monaco Grand Prix: Verstappen to start on pole

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─── KAYLA BARKER 13:23 Sun, 28 May 2023

Max Verstappen - Formula 1

Red Bull’s defending two-time champion, Max Verstappen, claimed his maiden Monaco Grand Prix pole position yesterday in a thrilling lap during the qualifying session.

Beating Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with a best lap of 1 minute and 11.365 gives him a good start to this weekend's race. Verstappen’s best lap puts him 0.084 seconds clear of Alonso who will be starting P2 on the grid this afternoon.

Leclerc had qualified for P3, right behind Verstappen and Alonso but Formula 1 has reported that, after a post-qualifying investigation, it was determined that Leclerc had impeded Mclaren’s Lando Norris during the final phase of Q3.

In light of the discovery, Leclerc was given a three-place grid penalty and now drops to start at 6th position. Alpine’s Estaban Ocon, Ferrari teammate Carlo Sainz and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton benefit from Leclerc’s penalty in that they each get promoted on the grid.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is the reigning champion in Monte Carlo and the current ‘king’ of street races but reclaiming that title will be difficult this year after crashing out in Q1. Crashing on the first corner brought out the red flags slowing down the action. Checo’s car was punched in the side and debris was scattered on the track post crash.

Due to the crash, Checo will be starting at the back of the grid and with the difficulty in overtaking on the Monaco track, fighting his way to the front will prove to be a challenge.

For all racers and teams, the qualifying round was crucial and probably one of the most important this season seeing that overtaking is extremely difficult on the street circuit.

Today’s iconic race gets underway at 15:00.

STARTING GRID:

Front row

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin)

2nd row

Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari)

3rd row

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)

4th row

Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine) George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

5th row

Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri) Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)