Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen competes throughout a qualifying session of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on the Monaco avenue circuit in Monaco, on May 27, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen produced an excellent last lap to take pole position on the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday and deny Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso his first pole in 11 years.
Verstappen known as his first pole at Monaco “very lovely” however there was nothing to cheer for his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez as final yr’s race winner crashed early in qualifying.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon surprisingly led close to the tip of the session earlier than the 41-year-old Alonso moved again to the highest as he chased a primary pole because the German GP in 2012, when he was with Ferrari.
But Verstappen had different concepts as he brushed the partitions of the sinewy avenue circuit to beat Alonso’s time by simply 0.084 seconds and clinch his fourth pole of the season and twenty third of his profession.
“I knew this weekend it was going to be tight,” the 25-year-old Verstappen said. “I definitely pushed a bit harder.”
Alonso walked over to Verstappen and shook his hand after a decent tussle between the two-time F1 champions.
“Feels great, I always had confidence in what I could do,” Alonso said. “We’re starting on the front row in Monaco, so job done.”
Alonso has four third-place finishes in five races, so Verstappen joked that he’d try to help him finally win again.
“I’ll think about it. I’d like to see Fernando win, but I’d like to win myself,” Verstappen stated. “I love watching his style.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was chasing a third straight pole on his home circuit but qualified in third, 0.106 behind Verstappen. Ocon ended up in fourth and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. was fifth ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes.
“I’ve been struggling like crazy with the car,” a disappointed Leclerc said. “That was the maximum I could do.”
Pierre Gasly (Alpine), George Russell (Mercedes), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and Lando Norris (McLaren) rounded out the top 10.
Perez will start from the back.
Regarded as one of F1’s best drivers on street circuits, the Mexican driver lost control of the rear when entering Sainte-Devote too quickly, thudded into the barriers and bust his left tire to bring out a red flag.
Hamilton, who had crashed near the end of the third practice, left it late to make it into Q2 on a new set of soft tires and then also squeezed into Q3 on his last lap.
Alonso started Q3 with the fastest time and set the tone for a thrilling ending.
“I’m pushing like an animal,” Alonso stated on staff radio.
He got here shut, however the Spanish veteran is nicely positioned on Sunday to push for his first win since 2013.
Monaco is arguably the hardest observe for overtaking however its claustrophobic nature results in pressure and crashes.
“If an opportunity comes we will take it,” Alonso said. “We cannot take it for granted that all three cars will finish.”
Verstappen has gained three races this season and leads the championship by 16 factors ahead of Perez — a niche that might considerably enhance.
All of Verstappen’s 38 profession wins have been with Red Bull and he wants another to beat Sebastian Vettel’s tally when he gained his 4 F1 titles with the staff from 2010-13.
Earlier Saturday, Verstappen led an eventful last observe ahead of Perez and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
A purple flag ended the session with a couple of minutes left after Hamilton made an uncharacteristic error, oversteering and slamming the crash barrier together with his entrance left tire.
Verstappen’s rear left virtually hit the barrier popping out of Sainte-Devote, a near-miss which isn’t uncommon in Monaco given the character of the sinewy avenue circuit.
Leclerc complained that he was having hassle heading into the “S” part subsequent to the swimming pool —the place Sainz crashed late in Friday’s second observe.
American actor Michael Douglas had a primary view of all of it as he watched from a balcony overlooking the observe.
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen’s automotive stalled on the observe close to the tip of P3, prompting a digital security automotive. Moments later, with tires cooler, Hamilton locked up as he snaked previous Fairmont Hotel and wedged into the boundaries at Mirabeau.
Hamilton climbed out and slid beneath a barrier earlier than strolling again pensively together with his arms behind his again as the automotive was hoisted excessive within the blue sky air by a crane.
