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<strong>FP1:</strong> Hamilton narrowly leads Verstappen and Bottas

FP1: Hamilton narrowly leads Verstappen and Bottas

Published on 23 May 2019 12:32
2
By: Fergal Walsh

Lewis Hamilton has topped the opening practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, setting a lap time of 1:12.106.

The world championship leader was only marginally ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull car, who was just over half a tenth down on Hamilton’s time.

Verstappen went straight on at Turn 5 during the session, and struggled to pull the car in reverse gear. The Dutchman received the help of the marshals and managed to get back on his way.

Valtteri Bottas was also close to Hamilton’s time, as the top three were separated by less than a tenth of a second.

Traffic was a problem for many drivers during the session, as they got held up by their fellow competitors while attempting to set a lap time.

Ferrari was further back down on Mercedes and the Red Bull of Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc’s fastest time reading 0.361s down on Hamilton.

Vettel, who is sporting a special helmet in tribute to Niki Lauda this weekend, was over seven-tenths down on Hamilton in fifth place, while the second Red Bull of Pierre Gasly was sixth.

Shortly after the start of the session, both Haas’ were black flagged by the FIA due to the fact there was no communication going from the team to the driver. Both Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen managed to return to the circuit later in the session.

Carlos Sainz failed to set a time and only got out with a handful of seconds left on the clock, as McLaren discovered an issue with his car, believed to be related to the battery.

Renault managed to secure the ‘best of the rest’ spot for the opening practice session, as Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, just behind Gasly on the same compound.

Despite the communication and telemetry problems that it endured during the session, Haas’ Magnussen and Grosjean ended the 90-minute session in eighth and tenth respectively, with Kimi Raikkonen lodged between both.

F1Grand Prix Monaco - Free practice 1

Monte Carlo - 23 May 2019

Driver

Team

Time

Difference

#
1

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

1:12.106

47
2

Max Verstappen

Red Bull Racing

1:12.165

+0.059

35
3

Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes

1:12.178

+0.072

43
4

Charles Leclerc

Ferrari

1:12.467

+0.361

25
5

Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari

1:12.823

+0.717

36
6

Pierre Gasly

Red Bull Racing

1:13.170

+1.064

41
7

Nico Hülkenberg

Renault

1:13.227

+1.121

45
8

Kevin Magnussen

Haas F1

1:13.232

+1.126

24
9

Kimi Räikkönen

Alfa Romeo Racing

1:13.363

+1.257

39
10

Romain Grosjean

Haas F1

1:13.379

+1.273

23
11

Daniel Ricciardo

Renault

1:13.413

+1.307

41
12

Antonio Giovinazzi

Alfa Romeo Racing

1:13.437

+1.331

39
13

Daniil Kvyat

Toro Rosso

1:13.731

+1.625

40
14

Alexander Albon

Toro Rosso

1:13.827

+1.721

45
15

Lando Norris

McLaren

1:14.278

+2.172

39
16

Sergio Perez

Racing Point

1:14.566

+2.460

40
17

George Russell

Williams

1:15.115

+3.009

40
18

Robert Kubica

Williams

1:15.514

+3.408

24
19

Lance Stroll

Racing Point

1:16.135

+4.029

37
20

Carlos Sainz jr

McLaren

2:00.670

+48.564

4

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Replies (2)

f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Ferrari already looking way behind....
- + 0
- May 23 2019 - 14:28
Vega23

Posts: 17
wow, Sainz has work to do... still, i think of he walks around the track he can improve on that time!
- + 0
- May 23 2019 - 21:13