Charles Leclerc Takes "Special" Pole In Home Monaco Grand Prix After Sergio Perez Crashes

Charles Leclerc secured pole position for his home Monaco Grand Prix with a sigh of relief and a smile on Saturday after a crash-hit finale to a dramatic qualifying session. The 24-year-old Monegasque driver topped the times ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz in a commanding Ferrari front row lock-out to claim his fifth pole of the season and the 14th of his career. Sainz's hopes of snatching the prime grid position from Leclerc were dashed on his final lap when he collided with Sergio Perez's Red Bull, seconds after the Mexican had slammed his Red Bull into the barriers at Portier.

"It's such a shame," said Sainz. "I tried to avoid him the best I could. It's another year when a red flag has cost us at the end of a session and I could not go for pole, but that's just so typical of Monaco."

Perez qualified third ahead of his Red Bull team-mate series leader and defending champion Max Verstappen, who was a frustrated fourth.

Last year, Leclerc crashed after securing pole, but he was unable to start the race and remains in search of his first finish on the streets of his native Mediterranean principality.

"It's so very special for me," said a delighted Leclerc, who is six points behind Verstappen in the title race. "I'm so incredibly happy!

"It's been a very smooth weekend until now. The pace was in the car, I just had to do the job. It went perfectly and that last lap, before the red flag, was really, really good, but it didn't change anything for us.

"It was really on the limit, but the car felt amazing and it's great to have Carlos with me on the front row."

With dark clouds looming and rain forecast for Sunday, he added: "I think dry is a bit more predictable, but whatever comes we are competitive so we are fine."

Sainz