Perez pips Leclerc in final Monaco practice

MONACO : Red Bull's Sergio Perez lapped fastest in final practice for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday with Ferrari's home favourite Charles Leclerc second on the timesheets.

Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, with Red Bull's Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen fourth.

On a sunny afternoon in the Mediterranean principality, Perez's best lap of one minute 12.476 seconds was 0.041 quicker than Leclerc, with Sainz 0.370 off the pace.

Verstappen leads Leclerc by six points after six races, with the Ferrari driver seeking to become the first Monegasque to score points at home since Louis Chiron finished third in 1950.

AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly was fifth and Lando Norris, recovering from tonsillitis, sixth for McLaren despite clipping the wall.

Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh fastest for Mercedes, with team mate George Russell ninth.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll hit the wall after bouncing off a kerb.