Max Verstappen dominates the second free practice session in Monaco

The start of the session on medium tires then a switch to soft tires to go below the 1’13 mark and really attack for qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Thus took place the second free practice session on Friday in Monaco, where we saw at the forefront the same teams as during free 1 in the morning : Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin.

A single red flag, after just under 45 minutes, for Carlos Sainz after his accident at the exit of the S de la Piscine when he was in third place in the standings. Enough to give the Ferrari mechanics a little work tonight, the Italian single-seater being well affected in the front right.

Who had the last word at 6 p.m., at the end of the 60 minutes, in traffic that is sometimes difficult to manage and anticipate, as is often the case in the Principality? It was Max Verstappen who set the reference lap in 1’12″462. The reigning double world champion, with his Red Bull, was only six hundredths ahead of the other Ferrari, that of Charles Leclerc, still in quest for his first success at home.

Gasly 9th, Ocon 10th

Sainz is therefore 3rd (+0″10), ahead of Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), 22 hundredths, and a surprising Lando Norris, who has found some rhythm with his McLaren (+0″44) despite an alert at the end of the session which forced him to return to the pits. Lewis Hamilton is 6th with the first Mercedes (+0″49), ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull (+0″52), therefore less comfortable than his teammate.

The gaps have also narrowed since the first fourteen are held in the same second. The Alpines are one of them, but neither Pierre Gasly nor Esteban Ocon have been able to fight among the best. The first finished with the 9th time, 62 hundredths from Verstappen, the second with the 10th time, 70 hundredths.