Verstappen on pole for Monaco G. P.
Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen produced a superb final lap to take pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday and deny Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso his first pole in 11 years.
Verstappen called his first pole at Monaco “very lovely” but there was nothing to cheer for his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez as last year’s race winner crashed early in qualifying.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon surprisingly led near the end of the session before the 41- year- old Alonso moved back to the top as he chased a first pole since the German GP in 2012, when he was with Ferrari.
But Verstappen had other ideas as he brushed the walls of the sinewy street circuit to beat Alonso’s time by just 0.084 seconds and clinch his fourth pole of the season and 23rd of his career.
“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 tight 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 thirdplace 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 said. “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.
But Leclerc was then handed a three- place grid penalty by race stewards for impeding Mclaren’s Lando Norris. Stewards ruled that Norris was on a fast lap and caught up with Leclerc in the middle of the tunnel, where he was clearly impeded.
Stewards reviewed team radio and found that Ferrari failed to give Leclerc any warning about Norris’ approach until the other driver was already directly behind him.