Leclerc firmly asserts his position over Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque representing Monaco, has claimed the pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix. He clocked the fastest lap of 1:10.270 minutes in qualifying for Ferrari, outdoing his teammate Carlos Sainz and McLaren's Oscar Piastri to secure spots two and three on the starting grid.
As a native of Monaco, Leclerc hopes to break the curse surrounding his home race. In his five attempts in Formula 1, he's never managed to win in his home country. The importance of pole position at Monaco, given its narrow course, can't be overstated, but it's no guarantee of success. Leclerc has started from first place in previous races in 2021 and 2022 but failed to secure a win.
The top three positions in the thrilling qualifying session are occupied by a mix of teams, with Lando Norris of McLaren and George Russell from Mercedes taking fourth and fifth, respectively. Max Verstappen, the world champion, is languishing in sixth place for Red Bull.
Sunday's race, scheduled for 3:00 p.m., presents Leclerc with an opportunity for his first home victory. Former Formula 1 driver Nico Hülkenberg finished 12th in the qualifying session but may face a penalty for disturbing a fast lap from Esteban Ocon of Alpine with slow driving in the second part of the session.
In the world championship standings, Max Verstappen maintains a sizable lead. He's 48 points ahead of Leclerc and 60 points clear of Norris. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Pérez holds fifth place with 54 points, but a poor qualifying performance could see him slip further behind on Sunday. Pérez was eliminated in the first part of qualifying, ending up 18th on the grid.
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Leclerc's strong qualifying performance puts him in a favorable position for a potential victory in Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix. Despite Verstappen's sixth place finish, the Red Bull Racing driver still leads the world championship standings.
During the Monaco Grand Prix, Max Verstappen, the Formula 1 world champion, will look to close the gap between him and Leclerc, who currently leads the qualifying standings for Ferrari.
Source: www.ntv.de
