Charles Leclerc Claims Monaco Pole To End Max Verstappen's Record Sequence

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snatched pole position at his home Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, as championship leader Max Verstappen could only finish sixth fastest. The 26-year-old Monegasque driver, who has never managed a podium finish at his home race, clocked a best lap of one minute and 10.270 seconds to outpace Australian Oscar Piastri of McLaren by 0.154 seconds. It brought Leclerc his third Monaco pole position and ended Verstappen's run of seven straight poles this year and a record-equalling eight in succession, shared with three-time champion Ayrton Senna.

Three-time world champion Verstappen struggled for Red Bull after hitting the barriers on his final fast lap.

"It was so nice," said a relieved Leclerc after a tense and thrilling qualifying.

"I'm really happy about my lap. The excitement was so high, but I know from the past that qualifying is not everything. The win is the target."

Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was third ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren, Mercedes' George Russell and Verstappen.

"It was close," said Piastri. "If you took the second half of my first lap and the first half of my second one it would have been enough for pole!"

Sainz added: "I've struggled all weekend with confidence in the car so it's an improvement. I just wish I was fighting for pole."

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Mercedes ahead of RB's Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon of Williams and Pierre Gasly of Alpine.

In near-perfect Riviera conditions with sunshine and temperatures of 48 degrees celsius on the track and 21 in the air, Hamilton led Russell and the rest out of the pits.

Fiercely-contested

As the Mercedes ran two preparatory laps, it was Tsunoda on top for RB before Hamilton