Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying review

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Super Saturday has almost come to an end here in Monaco. Welcome to the Principality and welcome to your checkered flag podcast. I'm Rosanna Tennant and joining me in the Alpine hospitality is our lead commentator, Harry Benjamin. We found ourselves on the top of the Alpine hospitality, Harry, and the Vista, well, it's breathtaking, isn't it?

I sometimes think I'm in the wrong job because this is rather nice. They've given us a couple of snacks. We've got a beautiful view of the harbour. I'm on some nice sort of soft cushioned seating. It's just very relaxed, very Monaco. I'm feeling at home. You say you're in the wrong job. I think you're in the right job. This is the life.

Well, no, because normally I have to be in the commentary box, which isn't quite as glamorous as this. This is much nicer. You are right. We are looking out over the harbour, which is absolutely jam-packed with super yachts. As we look across the harbour, you can just see people standing, enjoying the atmosphere. There's music blaring out.

People around us are having a few iced coffees, a few glasses of champagne, a few little cocktails to get the evening started. I heard rumours of an Aperol Spritz earlier. There might be something being rustled up at the bar. You never know. Santé! But you know what? I think everyone's in quite good spirits because that was a really good qualifying session. I said Super Saturday and Harry, that's how we were billing it, weren't we? Going into qualifying today.

because there's so much riding on qualifying in Monaco, and even though there are a few strategic issues for tomorrow, which we'll get into, It really delivered. It's still so important. It really did. Monaco qualifying is always the best one of the year. But actually we had so many questions to ask. It was that pace from Charles Leclerc from the start of this weekend. Genuine, topped every practice session. But also I think we've got to give Pirelli there.

do's in terms of bringing this softer compound attire, which they did in Imola again this weekend. It's really thrown up question marks when we go into the first part of qualifying, where normally it's a slam dunk, everyone's going to run that Redwood soft tyre. but actually you still have that little bit of disparity those few questions over actually whether the media might be better or could we use a soft in the race and that all affects how we go qualifying

But ultimately, in the end, while we had a good battle, McLaren versus Ferrari versus Verstappen and the Red Bull ultimately faded away. So it really did deliver.

And I suppose if you're a Monegasque this evening, you're a little bit disappointed because it was Lando Norris in the McLaren who took pole position. And if we go back to the start of the weekend, Charles Leclerc was playing down his potential for the weekend. I think he thought a top 10 qualifying spot would have been a positive. He was so pessimistic and yet

FP1, FP2, FP3, he was at the top of the timesheet. So were you expecting him to be on pole today? Should the Monogasque fans have expected a Monogasque pole position? I think he was expecting pole after the weekend so far. I think the nature of how the track is now, we talk about it being low speed, and it sounds like they're crawling around every corner, but the way Formula 1 cars have developed in the last couple of years, we're still talking a couple of hundred

It's not motoring around your local village, is it? You're not doing a sort of three-point turn to get around the hairpin. You are still taking that at some fair speed, even though that is the slowest corner on the track. But what that has done is the cars are obviously a lot quicker. You're going at a couple hundred kilometers an hour, maximum to 90 kilometers an hour really around Monaco. And so these slow speed corners are turning into more medium speed. And that's actually, I think, helping.

Ferrari's package and why we're seeing it as well. They're clearly able to run the car in the right ride height window as well which is something that they have been struggling with since go back to China where they got disqualified for excessive skid wear, having to raise the ride height there, really then that's what's kind of left them on the back foot.

Bit of an upgrade last time out as well, propelling them forward. But either way, I still think it's caught them by a surprise. But once they got over that surprise, Hamilton's looked quick. Leclerc has had the better of him, but they've been a few tenths adrift of each other. Leclerc was really annoyed.

At the end of qualifying, just over a tenth, he missed out on pole position. In fact, you could hear the groans from the grandstand in front of the commentary box when Lando Norris pipped into the post. But I think overall surprise, consistent pace. He was kind of fuming because he got traffic on his first Q3 run and that ultimately Many lack the confidence in his second run and that's what you need round here.

All is not lost, I don't think. Front row start and this two-stop mandatory tyre change could throw something his way. Well, we would normally start by hearing from our poll sitter, but because The story was really about Charles Leclerc coming into this qualifying session. Let's hear from him because I think there was a bit of a sort of silver lining. You know, very pessimistic coming into the weekend, fastest in all the practice sessions and was able to put it on the front row on home soil.

So I said, you know, describe your mixed emotions. This is what he had to say. They are not mixed, they are all negative. I'm very disappointed with today and not happy. The first lap in Q3 was a pretty good one, then I had traffic in Sector 2, then you go in the second lap of

with Q3 and you don't have as much confidence because you didn't put a good lap on the board. So yeah, not happy and disappointed to not be on board. And as a driver, I think you've always got to do a step back and to see the global picture.

If I do that, then I'm satisfied because I came here not thinking that qualifying in the top 10 would be a big challenge. So at the end of the day, we are so close from pole position and that's a good thing. But disappointed. I know how important it is to be started. starting first in Monaco for the race. Now it's going to be tough, but I won't give up until the end. How do you rate your chances leading into Turn 1, Turn 2? What are the chances that you could overturn Lando in the McLaren's?

I mean if there's an opportunity it's probably more about turn one than turn two but I'll see. I expect a very strange race strategically tomorrow and we've got to understand as quickly quickly as possible in which way it's going in order to adapt ourselves and take the best decisions from there. So that's what we'll try and do. Hopefully you can turn the page overnight. Yes, I will. That was Charles Leclerc.

will line up on the front row of the grid but in the P2 spot and of course unable to back up the pole position. that he managed to achieve here last year. He will be gunning for another win, a back-to-back win. Don't forget he took the spoils here in Monaco last year as well. So a lot of pressure riding on him and of course it's difficult to overtake even with these strategies that we may see tomorrow. Strange strategies, that's what the drivers are telling us.

But it will be Lando Norris leading the pack away in the McLaren. And Harry, my goodness me, Lando Norris needed that pole position, didn't he? What a shot in the arm that must have been. Yeah, I think it was an important statement. from Lando Norris hasn't been on pole position since the beginning of the season going back to March in Melbourne where he flew out the blocks but

It's been Oscar Piastri who's had the better of him. We know Lando Norris hasn't felt particularly comfortable when it comes to qualifying trim with the way the front end works on that McLaren. That doesn't feel like he's got enough by having to adjust his driving style. But he's looked quicker than Piastri actually for the majority of the weekend. Bit of an uncharacteristic weekend from Piastri so far with a crash as well in practice. Lando Norris has looked.

really connected with this track. New lap record as well for him. So absolutely rubbing salt into the wounds of the Monegasque who cry that Leclerc couldn't get that pole position. two runs at the end of Q3 for both McLarens. Ultimately, That was what did it for Lando Norris to secure pole position.

They went early, didn't they, doing those two runs and it was a sort of, well, it could have been a make or break moment, but they planned that right from the beginning. That wasn't a reactive thing. They'd spoken about that in the lead up to qualifying and that was what was going to suit their car, their run plan.

But I guess it was fine. They did have a very, very strong car so they could get that marker down and then see if they could improve. I mean, let's not forget, they still have, I think, the overall quickest package. at pretty much every circuit we've gone to. Sometimes it's the red ball of Verstappen which has that pace advantage in the qualifying on the race but overall just over a tenth I think at the last look of the day to McLaren have that overall advantage but

First McLaren pole around here since 2007 with Fernando Alonso at the wheels. It's been a long time coming for a McLaren around the streets of Monte Carlo.

I wonder when it comes to this strategy for Sunday's Grand Prix. Front row. Loris Leclerc. McLaren Ferrari. Second row. McLaren, Ferrari, Are they going to have to be sacrificed? Are they playing the sacrificial lamb roll? Piastri won't want to, but have they laid that now down after qualifying and we see maybe

Those two backing up the rest of the pack to allow a fight between Norris and Leclerc to get that second pit stop window. That's going to be really intriguing how that unfolds over the course of Sunday. And if something happens in that first lap and they all dive in for a lap one change, my goodness me, that end of the pit lane, the Ferrari McLaren. which is right as you come into the Piers.

That is going to be incredibly busy. We might be talking double stack territory and having four cars in that little bit of real estate. I know, while I was watching, you know, Aston Martin were practicing a double stack today. So maybe that is what's to come.

Well, look, you have to keep all options open. If you're right at the start of the pit lane, that's going to be so tricky. Those at the head of the grid, I think it's riskier to come in at the end of the first lap unless we get a safety car straight away. an Oliver Bearman ride at the back, the Alpines, maybe it's worth doing it and just gambling because you're going to come out and clean it and you're going to catch up to the back of the pack if they've not pitted.

Ultimately, it comes down to none of us actually know what's going to happen. Which, as far as I'm concerned, this has worked already. There's enough intrigue going into Sunday. even intrigue laid down today it wasn't outright who was going to get pole position today and as we all expected Leclerc it wasn't so I think it's worked The true test will be at the end of 78 laps, but right now,

This is already probably one of the more interesting Monaco Grand Prix's of recent history. And I also like the fact that when Lando Norris took pole position, you were like, oh, maybe this isn't the best weekend in Monaco to be on pole position with this strategy jeopardy that's coming our way tomorrow.

Well, let's hear how Lando Norris is feeling, taking pole position in the Principality. And he said on Thursday that he... doesn't let himself smile during a lap around here. So I asked, surely, surely there must have been a smile on his face. this afternoon. Honestly, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what facial expressions I put on the lap. I mean, probably they're not normally as smiles. I think they're more like... Scared ones. But, of course, afterwards...

It was a smile. It was some nice laps and of course for me a great moment, especially at the end of Q3. Until then you can't really, you don't have a lot of time to breathe and a lot of time to think of things.

But when you cross the line and you see the final checkered flag, then that's the best one for sure. It's been a while since your last poll, obviously Australia. How difficult has it got for you mentally with everybody questioning from the outside? And I know you've been working hard with your team, but how How hard has it been for you? It's been tough because I want to be on pole more often. I want to be on pole every time.

Of course, there's been many moments where I'm just not happy, I'm not satisfied with the job I've done because I've not achieved what I achieved today. And it's just because I'm hungry to be the best and I'm hungry to be on top and normally I'm not until that's the case. Today, to do it in probably the hardest one of the season, it definitely put a smile on my face. And it's reassuring to do it when it matters. And you've answered a few questions, I think, as well.

well good luck tomorrow that was lando norris your poll setter for the 2025 monaco grand prix My goodness me, he needed that result. Can he back it up with a win tomorrow? Of course, we will all find out. But he won't have his teammate alongside Harry. does that take the pressure off in a way given that they are tight championship rivals or does it actually make it a little bit more stressful because it would be nice to have his teammate right up at the front so that they could control the race?

Well, I'm sure the team prefer the latter part of that. I think Lando Norris will, I think, maybe be breathing a bit of a sigh of relief. But also Oscar Piastri is not the driver to... try something too dangerous into Sandoval on lap one of the Monaco Grand Prix when he's in the lead of the championship and after last week in Imola that lead has been cut down ever so slightly by Lando Norris so

I think Piastri's got a wise head on him too in terms of he will understand that if he cannot be in the fight for the win it will be important to secure points and for Lando Norris on the other side he knows that he needs to get 25 points in the back on the end of 78 laps and we could then see a twist in the

we could then see a twist in the tale of how this championship moves forward as this Lando Norris actually starting to get on top of these qualifying issues he's had and is that going to be a switch in his mentality because we know that he does Critique himself so incredibly harshly so he's gonna want to get this in the bag by the end of by the checkered flag so I think he'll take it and run.

He does critique himself, and I used to interview him after F2 races. He would give such long answers, analysing his performance, and he had just jumped out of the car. We do interviews right down in the Park Farmer area in F2, or at least used to, and he'd have such a... big description for me of what had gone well and what had gone badly and how he needed to improve so he is hugely critical of himself.

indicative of this kind of modern generation of driver, this younger generation of driver, they're more harsh on themselves than publicly at least, than the Alonzos and the Hamiltons? Yeah, definitely. I think it's the candour. They are very, very honest. They will talk about how they're feeling. I think it plays into...

the way society is slightly shifting, talking about your mental health, what you're struggling with, what you're dealing with. And I think it's refreshing, but it's been interesting to see perhaps Landon Norris grow this year and work on so many areas of his performance he's been talking about what he's been working on back at bass and it was interesting in the the media pen alongside me a few of the my journalistic colleagues

Come on, smile. Come on, smile. Show us that you're really, really excited about this. This is a huge moment. You've just taken the lap record. Smile. And he's still a bit bashful. But I think he's shy. He alluded to that in the Drive to Survive documentary. He does find this world. quite overwhelming and You would, wouldn't you? All eyes are on you. Especially here in Monaco, where it is just so intense.

qualifying session. And for the majority of them though they're all in their back gardens so they've got the pressure of knowing that their neighbours will see how they're performing. Their neighbours are probably more likely to be another Formula One driver though. Yeah they're all busy at work. Well let's hear from Lando Norris's

teammate Oscar Piastri, P3 current championship leader I think he wanted more, so let's hear how he was feeling after getting out of the car. I don't think satisfied is the word, but equally I'm not that disappointed either. I think it's not been a particularly straightforward weekend until qualifying.

much happier and qualifying with how I was driving, how the car felt, but until that point you want a pretty smooth weekend and that's not how it's panned out this time. So some things to look at for sure, more for for probably when we come back next year, but our focus now will be on trying to work out what we should do tomorrow, because I don't think anyone really knows just yet. But ultimately, yeah, I wish it was a bit better, but I think it could have been worse too.

Is there an element tomorrow of driving at 99% so that the walls don't play into your weekend anymore? I don't know. It's still going to be a very manipulated race from a pace point of view. we were more or less starting the race 10 seconds slower than what we could do at the end. So I don't really think that that is going to play much of a factor. I think with the two stops you'll kind of see

see a lot of different pace management and trying to build gaps and stuff, but I don't think anyone truly knows how it's going to turn out. Good luck tomorrow. P3 for Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. He's such a cool customer. Our BBC F1 correspondent, Audrey Benson, has spent some time with him this weekend, has written an incredible article that you can read on the BBC Sport website.

about this cool, calm, collected Oscar Piastri. And yet, after the qualifying session, he said to Julian Palmer, of course, friend of the show. I've heard of him. No, exactly. I don't know who you mean. that he probably hit the walls more this weekend than in his entire career. So, is it just getting a bit scatty, a bit messy, not finding the rhythm? Is a bit of pressure getting to him?

Has Benny got to him? Has Andrew Benson rattled Piastri? I have to say, there were two interviews that I'll check a flat preview Benson took. I took Piastri and I took Behrman and both of them didn't do that well. Let's put Piastri into context and still top three. He has looked a little bit off this weekend. Hasn't looked as connected to the car. Uncharacteristic crash at FP2. We know it's much easier to put a car in the wall here, but he was clever about that going into Sandoval.

and straightened the steering wheel up just before he went into the barriers, which basically meant it was only his front wing that got damaged. So he got away with that one. big snap during qualifying in RASCAS where coming out of the corner almost rally style the rear end stepping out on the rear left tyre and made contact with the wall again he got away with it as so many of them do

So was this Piastri just starting to, as you say, maybe feel the pressure of, oh, I've lost a little bit of my championship advantage last weekend. It's still early days, but it's Points mean prizes and you can't keep thinking on this is a long season. We still got a long way to go I don't think you can think like that

Now you've got to maximize every weekend you've got and make the most of it. He knows that Sunday's Grand Prix is going to be incredibly tricky to overtake regardless of what the strategy does.

so it could be a case of him starting to feel it a little bit we've not seen him have to deal with this kind of thing but the one thing with Piastri is, especially after his mistake last week with breaking too early, going into Tamburello, allowing Verstappen the lead, Piastri has this incredible talent for

making mistakes, banking the knowledge that he's gained from that and not doing it again and improving. Let's not forget the step up he has made this season when it comes to particularly his tyre management as well. I think with the nature of his personality, I think he will be a little bit angry with himself behind closed doors, but ultimately he knows that Consistently scoring big points is what will secure him.

his first World Championship. I found it interesting that he said it was going to be difficult to beat Lando today. Almost like he'd seen throughout the weekend Lando was doing something different. He was at the top of his game and he was ready to take on at least a fight for pole position. Gonna be interesting to see how the McLarens fare tomorrow.

sort of sandwiching Charles Leclerc. And alongside Oscar Piastri will, or perhaps won't be, Sir Lewis Hamilton summoned to the stewards after qualifying. He was late to the media pen because of it. and when I spoke to him there was still no decision as to what he might or might not receive in terms of penalties for impeding Max Verstappen. Very vocal on the radio from Max Verstappen thinking that Lewis Hamilton blocked him.

Do you have a feeling which way this one might go, Harry? It could be a problem for Lewis Hamilton. A bit ironic really because Hamilton had a massive crash at the end of FP3 as a result of coming over the crest at Massenet and finding some cars there and he unfortunately had a snap on the car as well but he ended up in the wall.

I wonder, I do think sometimes they should have a little bit of leniency in Monaco because it is so tricky, but it is under investigation. What time is it now? It's just up to 7 o'clock in the evening in Monaco. Still no decision that has come through yet. They'll have to go. make their case with the stewards but if they find out that it didn't hamper Verstappen on in terms of getting through into into qualifying which it didn't then maybe they'll be lenient, but usually that kind of thing.

is an error on behalf of the team and the driver and their communication and there might well be a consequence as a result. It has just come through that Lewis Hamilton has received three place grid drop for the next race in which the driver participates and I'd imagine that will be tomorrow so he's gonna drop down so from P4 on the road he will move back down to P7 so I guess stewards think it's deserved. So that is what the British driver will receive. A three-place grid drop for him.

He was pumped up for this weekend. I think he was buzzing, actually, to quote him, driving this circuit for the first time in a Ferrari, but what a disappointing end to his qualifying session.

So yes, P4 on the road for Hamilton and then Max Verstappen P5. It's been an interesting weekend for him. He was right up there in FP1 and FP3 and we heard a little bit about gear shifts. It wasn't sort of nightmarish the lead up to qualifying and I think perhaps Were you expecting a bit more from him?

Always. I've learned to never expect, I've learned to not expect anything from Max Verstappen apart from always being there at the very end. So actually fifth place is disappointing. Seven tenths off in the end, which is a fairly large margin around this track. He struggled to gel with the soft tyre for most of practice.

struggling to find a rhythm at one point in practice both Sonoda and Verstappen were down in the lower regions of the top 10. So I wonder if he's just struggling to gel with the tyre management, the temperatures are playing a bit of havoc. they are not going to be as strong as McLaren at this type of circuit with the slow to medium speed corners compared to last week with high speed MLR

think as a result of that fifth place seemed to be all she wrote. Yeah they don't like the curbs or the corners the Red Bull cars this year and just a word on what happened with Verstappen and Tsunoda his teammate because there was a bit of chat on the radio. Tsunoda very displeased with perhaps what he was being asked to do. Have you managed to work out what the team were requesting?

I was having a look back through the radio transcripts because we caught Tsunoda because Tsunoda was knocked out in 12th place in the end. and essentially Earlier, Verstappen was told on the radio by John Perro-Lambezi, OK Max, If we swap with Yuki, we swap with Yuki going up the hill, one would imagine towards Massinet and the Casino Square, Yuki's on a different strategy, so he'll be on a build-up lap.

And then as a result, we then saw Tsunoda going out. He said, I mean, it's so unfair. I knew that would happen. perhaps referring back to that team radio call that came to Verstappen. So clearly Söder wasn't happy with how his strategy was going in qualifying. being the sacrifice second driver but unfortunately that's the role he's kind of signed up for and crash it in last week's Qualifying has also meant he's perhaps not got the exact same spec as Max Verstappen.

and I wonder if he's beating himself up about that as well and that's added fuel to the fire with Tsunoda but he felt something wasn't fair with how his qualifying turned out to be. But to be honest was never particularly confident he'd make it through to Q3 anyway. Well let's hear from his teammate Max Verstappen who qualified P5. I asked him if he wanted a little bit more or if there was a little bit more for him in that qualifying.

I mean, I felt it straight away in Q1. We were lacking quite a bit in Sector 2. So all the low speed mechanical grip corners, where the track also drops away from you, where you have to ride curbs, that's where we struggled the most, unfortunately, and that never really seemed seem to improve a lot.

That's Max for Sappen. So maybe we could expect a bit of a gamble from the Red Bull Racing team come strategy decisions during the race tomorrow. And just a word on Tsunoda when I spoke to him in the pen I said you know Were you happy with what was going on and did you know that was gonna happen and he was just I can't I'm not saying anything I know I know what's going on I'm not saying anything was so

tight-lipped and you could tell just so frustrated with the way he approached all the questions in the pen. Look, I especially, you know, Isaac Hadjar is sixth in the Racing Bulls. closest Red Bull family member to Maximus Happen. I caught up with one of Sergio Perez's managers earlier in the paddock. Look at you living the life. I know.

Just having a chat as we were looking at the massive Red Bull Energy Station that's built sort of outside the paddock. We're not allowed on it unless you have a Red Bull pass. It's floated outside the paddock. It is floated, yes, but it's a proper sort of work of art, really, that place. obviously this is coming from one side of the story but he was very

referring Matt Perez very upset and annoyed at the team and how they treated him and a bigger picture of how they treat their second drivers. If you reflect back to last year there were rumours swirling around about how Sergio Perez wasn't performing and therefore Red Bull weren't going to win the Constructors' Championship and that meant lots of staff weren't going to get bonuses and all this kind of thing. This is a team sport, Red Bull have got to be in it to win it.

said that they don't care about the Constructors' Championship. It's all about the drivers and the number one is Max Verstappen, so which one is it for a start? Perhaps management care, but the people who get their bonuses care a little bit more. So when you then put Tsunoda into that seat, having performed well in a racing bulls that is clearly more driver friendly,

You have to almost wonder how much can Tsunoda theoretically do? How much can anyone do in that car? Because there is now talk of Hajar already being teed up to maybe go in that seat next year. But you almost want to say to them all just maybe stay in the racing world I know they have no choice over the matter because they all sign a Red Bull contract and it's where they're placed, but it's just something

Something's not right with whatever's going on, the gelling between the number two driver and the car and the team and all the other politics that comes with it. So I understand why Yuki was

Probably being fairly tight-lipped with you in the pen. Yeah, absolutely. But on the other hand, bravo, Isaac Hajar. Absolutely stunning. Given that it was a bit of a shaky run-in. And actually he said to me, I really wasn't confident or comfortable going into qualifying. Now that's not ideal as a rookie driver feeling a little bit worried about your first qualifying session in Monaco. But he's going to line up alongside Max Verstappen. What a moment!

so special the really frustrating thing about red bull is they have a habit of finding some very talented drivers they've clearly got they've got a rejuvenating this young driver program which maybe went through a bit of a fallow period it's clearly finding them F2 runner-up last year, Isaac Hajar. Standout, this is his career best qualifying.

off the back of a top 10 start in Imola looking for back-to-back points in this triple header and actually even more impressive is the fact that he had two crashes in the same practice session on Friday. And we know Hajar is emotional, gets frustrated, very brass on the team radio, tap it banging the steering wheel in frustration. That elevates it. Top work, Isaac Hatcher. Really great job. P6 for the French driver.

fernando alonso p7 hello aston martin what's happened oh hang on adrian newey's arrived quick put on a good show knew he's watching i think again this is a combination of fernando alonso being fernando alonso Taking the time to understand these after combine ties and the upgrade that they brought in last week Which was aimed at curing the issues that as mine had in particular with slower speed corners obviously they are here, so

All of that put together. In Q2, he came in early, didn't come out for a final run because he was like whooping and celebrating on the radio because he could do no more. He got the max out of it. It ended up eighth, I think, and that's Q2. And happy days. Maybe there was a little bit more to be had with Agile available. But I think 5th last week. 7th this week.

Sunday is Alonso's best chance so far this year of getting his first points of the season. I can't believe it. We're nearly a third or we will be by the time the chequered flag flies tomorrow. We'll be a third of the way through the season and maybe he'll be taking points home with him. Behind him, Esteban Ocon in the hasp. He ate. He loves this track. He was telling me he's working so well with his race engineer, Laura Muller.

But, I mean, I didn't really have Haas right up there. I joked with him, like, looking at your practice dives, was this all part of the build process? And he kind of chuckled, because obviously I was being ironic. But I didn't have him up there. I don't think anyone did. No, I think Esteban is maybe a bit of a... Monaco specialist? There's a driver's circuit, so the driver does make a difference. Unless he's running into a teammate just in the lead up to the tunnel.

There is also that, but also, if you flashback a year before, podium. So, you know, he's done alright a couple of years ago for him. That house is still up and down. I think they're still trying to get the consistency right. Bearman was quicker last week. Ocon's put it out of the bag this week. And that's worked out quite nicely for Haas because they've got one car up there which can hopefully score points and another one which they can try something else.

absolutely ridiculous with and just see what happens. Absolutely and behind Ocon it's Liam Lawson who I think wanted more. I think there obviously was more in the car given where his teammate Hadjar was in P6 and Alex Albon P10 which I think was disappointing but Just before we get into the Williams performance, what I would say is have all of the Hajars, the Alonzos, the Ocons, the Lawsons been given a bit of a promotion given we don't have the two Mercedes drivers in the top 10.

Yes, is the answer. I bet Kimi Antonelli actually crashed out at the end of Q1, but he was right on the bubble anyway and looked at risk of not getting through to Q2. So Antonelli, Maybe there was one position that's been inherited. George Russell, definitely. First time outside the top five in a qualifying. He had a power issue, something to do with the battery, which basically shut the car off when he went over a bump. That's what the team said anyway during the session.

First time no Mercedes has been in Q3 since MLR 2022. But they've been off the pace all weekend, so I'm not sure how much they had in the tank, but it certainly has helped the lower reaches of the midfield. And actually, I think that Williams should have been higher up, especially Alex Albon, who was, you know, right up there in P4 and FP1 and, okay, lots of different settings run through practice sessions. He was right up there in the lead up to qualifying and it just feels like they don't know

where the tyres operate best? Which window? Where they're looking for performance at this particular track? Well they sort of swapped midway through was it Q2 I think when we had the red flag and then They'd been out on the media and then they went back out on the soft and you'd expect an improvement. Carlos Sainz complaining about grip on the radio.

inconsistent with the rear tyre temperatures. I think that was another thing that we need to bear in mind getting those soft tyres into the right windows proven a little bit trickier than I think some people thought. There was, I think, even talk of a few... tyre-warm trickery going up and down the pits of trying not to heat those tyres up too much before sending them out onto the circuit. I think Albon would be disappointed. Didn't improve on his final lap.

There was definitely more to be had for the Williams duo today. And I think they're going to find it difficult tomorrow because they've been struggling with graining, especially on the medium tar. And he was telling me that actually tomorrow, if you are struggling with graining, or if you're not struggling with graining, you're going to be one and a half to two seconds quicker than others around you.

Yeah, I think one's to watch in a sort of, ooh, way, Williams, whereas it's been a bit more like, ooh, hasn't it, for the beginning of the season. But how good is this that 10th and 11th for Williams is, ooh, I think there was more in it today. I know. This time last year they would have bit your arm off for that.

Absolutely, because in the old days it was always a slippery car, it goes well in Belgium, nice long straights and oh it's affected by the wind and suddenly it's like, hang on a second, it's a threat to all circuits. But I do think Alex Albon's worried about Spain. I think they thought they'd go well here and they'd have a bit more difficulty.

in Spain obviously next weekend the final round of the triple header so P10 and P11 for Albon and Sainz respectively and then Yuki Tsunoda who we've spoken about P12 unable to make it through to Q3 Hülkenberg, then the two Mercedes headed by Russell. Very disappointing afternoon, as Harry has said. And then the drivers we lost in the first part of qualifying, Bortoletto, Behrmann with that 10-place grip drop.

The Alpines, obviously, we are sitting in their hospitality, so I want to give them a big... Keep a hushed voice, Rosanna. I want to give them a big, warm hug. Because it wasn't very good. I tell you what, not a great qualifying, but they do win the award for best hospitality. Crisps and nuts have been delish. Crisps and nuts have been outstanding. It's Pierre Gasly's worst Monaco Grand Prix starting position. Don't giggle it. Sorry, he's only over there.

He'll inherit a position when Bama gets his penalty. Franco Colopinto, I wonder if he's still kind of recovering from his big crash in qualifying. Last week, let's not forget for Colapinto, it's his second Grand Prix weekend with the team and he's got to come and do Monaco off the back of a crash with the pressures that have been put on him.

I think he's just hoping he gets round 78 laps and makes hay of any carnage that happens in front of him because what he cannot afford to do is crash tomorrow. That will be Colopinto's biggest drop. He'll get a position.

gained because Lance Stroll has that one place grid penalty too. Harry, you'll be in the commentary box tomorrow talking us through the race alongside none other than Drumroll. Wait, do I do the drum roll or do I do the announcement? I was sort of doing a drum roll. The 1996 Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill. What a pleasure it's been having him. And the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson, let's not forget. Absolutely. What a team.

And I'll be down on the ground trying to bring you probably... The glow that keeps us all together. That's very kind of you. But, you know, years gone by I've been providing weather forecasts, but I think... It's gonna be okay. I think we're gonna have sunshine. I don't think there's gonna be a threat of rain. Another sort of little element to throw into...

the jeopardy category but i think we'll get away with it uh looking forward to this one lando norris starts from pole alongside charlotte claire starting uh his home race for 2025. oh hopefully you can join us lights go out at two o'clock five live that is where we'll be talking to you next from have a lovely evening on BBC This is Sport Strangest Crimes to buy crickets. One night, one game, winner takeoff, $20 million.

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