Verstappen has cut a very frustrated figure so far this season, with speculation swirling around his future at Red Bull and in the sport. However, he was in fine form yesterday and came so close to pole, only to be pipped by Antonelli by under half a tenth of a second.
“If you would have told me yesterday [Friday] to be on the front row, I would have definitely taken it,” Verstappen said. “This morning [Saturday] we had quite some difficulties with the car so heading into qualifying and being up there was extremely positive. So overall, of course, extremely happy with how qualifying went, how all the laps went even though you have to deal with all the traffic and also the walls. But I am happy to be on the front row and then, tomorrow [today], let’s see in the start. These cars are quite complicated to start. I have two cars behind me that start quite well but we will see. This was a good day and definitely enjoyed it in qualifying.”
Lewis Hamilton, who was won three times around the street of Monaco, will start from third today.
“It was tough for us,” Hamilton said. “We were looking so strong in practice, and we barely changed anything, but the car was drastically different once we got to qualifying for some reason, so we have to take a deep dive into that. I gave it absolutely everything. I was as close to the barriers as I could be, and what a privilege it is to be here, to be one of the 22 drivers in F1 getting to do this still. I love every second of it. I think it is definitely very close between us all. I thought we almost maybe nearly had it, and then Max put in a good time and then Kimi. I think it is great to see how close all the cars are. I think we lost something going into today, and that is what we need to try to figure out.”
Hometown boy Charles Leclerc, who hit the wall on his final flying lap in Q3, starts alongside his Ferrari teammate Hamilton on the second row. Isack Hadjar starts fifth whilst George Russell starts five places behind his Mercedes teammate Antonelli in sixth. It was a disappointing qualifying for McLaren, with Oscar Piastri and defending world champion Norris on the fourth row in the grid in seventh and eighth respectively. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson rounds out the top ten.
The race gets under way at 2pm.