Formula 1 returns this weekend to one of its most iconic and revered venues: the streets of Monte Carlo! So welcome to Total-Motorsport.com’s LIVE coverage of FP1 at the F1 2025 Monaco GP, who will hit the ground running in the quest for pole?
All eyes turn to the principality’s tight corners, unforgiving barriers, and the unparalleled pressure of a circuit that rewards absolute precision and punishes the slightest mistake with costly consequences.
The Monaco GP is the crown jewel in the F1 calendar and also features the most important qualifying of the year, as track position for Saturday is crucial, as overtaking during the 78-lap race is a near-impossible task.
Heading into FP1, all eyes are on Max Verstappen. Fresh off a dominant performance at the Emilia Romagna GP, the Red Bull driver appears to be hitting his stride just in time. Can he take pole in his quest to defend his title?
However, he faces a tough test from a formidable McLaren team Oscar Piastri leads the standings with four wins and three poles, including a strong qualifying performance in Monaco last year. His teammate, Lando Norris, has also shown rapid pace but more errors.
Finally, the local hero, Charles Leclerc, returns to the track where he emotionally triumphed in 2024, eager to lift Ferrari’s spirits after a disappointing start to the season. Can he sprinkle some one-lap magic in his own backyard?
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As FP1 at the 2025 Monaco GP begins, teams will use this crucial session to fine-tune setups and gauge how their cars handle the unique demands of Monte Carlo so stay tuned for live updates right here from Total-Motorsport.com.
F1 Monaco GP 2025 FP1 LIVE: Latest Updates
Chequered Flag: Charles Leclerc tops FP1 in Monaco
It was a bit of a crazy session for Charles Leclerc in the F1 2025 Monaco GP as the home hero tops the times, but didn’t have an easy time of it at all as the 27-year-old went through the wars.
His afternoon began with a trip down the escape road, before he then smashed his front-wing when Lance Stroll moved onto the racing line far too late as the Ferrari rear-ended the Aston Martin.
However, he managed to rebound and found pace by the flag to deliver a 1:11.964 to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen 0.163 and McLaren’s Lando Norris by 0.326, suggesting that whilst it’s far from easy, he can find pace in his car.
Five minutes to go: Leclerc leads Verstappen in dying embers
Max Verstappen has now got his Red Bull up to second place at the Circuit de Monaco, but he still trails Charles Leclerc’s 1:11.964 by 0.163. Both on softs.
Then comes Lando Norris, Alex Albon and Oscar Piastri in the Top 5.
George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso round out the Top 10 with five to go.
10 minutes to go: Scary moment for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is distracted by a car ahead and has a huge whack on the inside barrier at Turn 15 and 16 and hits the sausage kerb for good measure too, launching him into the air.
It’s a hefty impact on the way down, and he pits to allow the team to inspect any damage to the floor of his SF-25.
For what it’s worth, the front suspension held up very well. Hamilton is currently eighth overall.
15 minutes to go: Charles Leclerc raises eyebrows
Charles Leclerc is now king of the hill with a 1:11.964 to beat McLaren’s Lando Norris by 0.346 at the Circuit de Monaco on the same tyre compound.
Oscar Piastri is then third, ahead of the Williams pair of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon further down the order.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, isn’t having a smooth end to the session. He had traffic on one of his push laps, before he later locked up his brakes into the Nouvelle Chicane on another.
21 minutes to go: Hadjar pits
Isack Hadjar pits after tagging the wall in Turn 15 and 16, describing it as a big hit over the radio.
It seems as though there’s no lasting damage though.
The young French-Algerian is 13th as things stand.
Sainz and Norris get it wrong into Turn 1
Both Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris get it wrong into Turn 1 and lock up their tyres, but show off their years of experience.
Both chose to bail out instead of still trying to take the corner, the smart thing to do to avoid crashing into the walls.
Will anyone get it wrong this weekend?
25 minutes to go: Norris leads Ferraris in Monaco
Lando Norris now leads Charles Leclerc in Monaco with a 1:12.290 on the soft. However, for those thinking it looks good for Ferrari?
Hold your breath. Lelcerc has just complained the car is oversteering in one corner and understeering in the other. They have things to work on.
Lewis Hamilton is currently in third, ahead of Oscar Piastri.
28 minutes to go: Verstappen blocked by Sauber
Max Verstappen is now the latest one to find his path blocked off by another car as he has to skip over the corner to get away from Gabriel Bortoleto in Turns 15 and 16.
The Sauber has been noted for an impeding incident, and he had to leave the track too.
“F**k me, man,” says Verstappen over the radio. It’s rare to hear him spooked like that.
31 minutes to go: “Wake up it’s Monaco” – Gasly
Pierre Gasly has to back out of the Nouvelle Chicane (Turn 10/11) after one of the Haas cars moves back onto the racing line a bit too late for the Alpine’s liking.
“What are these guys doing? Wake up, it’s Monaco,” the Frenchman exclaims over his radio.
He’s currently running in ninth as things stand, 1.463 seconds off the table topper.
35 minutes to go: McLarens take over in Monaco
Lewis Hamilton was top of the timing boards for Ferrari but now both McLaren cars, as expected, face taken over at the Circuit de Monaco.
Oscar Piastri leads Lando Norris by 0.005 with a 1:13.031 in Monte Carlo, showing just how close the pair are. Both are on the softs.
Then comes Charles Leclerc and Hamilton making it a 3-4 for Ferrari, ahead of Max Verstappen in fifth.
Hamilton and Verstappen are yet to use the soft tyres.
38 minutes to go: Lawson not happy with Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton goes slowly in the final part of the Circuit de Monaco to try to find some space to start his own lap.
However, Liam Lawson happens across him and frustratedly complains he had to brake to avoid crash.
“The usual Hamilton stuff,” quips the Kiwi’s engineer.
Meanwhile Lando Norris gets away with a close one. Precision or luck? Either way, he won’t want to be that risky too many times.
GREEN FLAG: Session resumes – Stroll seemingly OUT
Lance Stroll is out of his car and has headed to the engineering office, his FP1 session seems to have come to an end in Monaco. There is a lot of assessment going on at the rear of that Aston Martin.
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, should be back in the session very shortly as we’re back to green flag conditions once again in Monte Carlo on this Friday afternoon.
45 minutes left on the clock.
45 minutes to go: Lewis Hamilton leads the times
Whilst Charles Leclerc has had a rocky start to Free Practice 1 at the 2025 Monaco GP for Ferrari, the same cannot be said for Lewis Hamilton.
The Brit is top of the timing boards with a 1:14.576 on the medium, beating Max Verstappen by just over a tenth of a second.
The Red Bull is on the hard tyre, however.
RED FLAG: Session stopped
With carbon fibre all over the track, the session has been stopped by the FIA as the race director throws the red flag.
The cars must come into the pit lane, but the clock will continue ticking down – costing all teams valuable time.
Replays: What is Lance Stroll doing?
Charles Leclerc is on a push lap into the Grand Hotel Hairpin but crashes when Lance Stroll swerves late after letting one car through.
There’s nothing the Ferrari could do to avoid that and he slams into the back of the Aston Martin, leaving the Canadian with diffuser damage and the man from Monaco with that shattered front wing.
52 minutes to go: Broken front wing for Leclerc!
Charles Leclerc has been in the wars early at the F1 2025 Monaco GP. Moments after he headed down the escape road at Turn 5, he’s now got a broken front wing!
It seems as though it could have been damage with Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. He is coming back into the pits.
58 minutes to go: Error from Leclerc!
Charles Leclerc is the first driver caught out by the tricky nature of the twist streets of Monaco, locking up the front-right on his Ferrari and bailing out down an escape road at Turn 5.
Fortunately he spins his car back around and gets going once again. At least he’s getting it out of the system early.
GREEN FLAG: The weekend in Monaco officially begins!
We have cars on the track at the Circuit de Monaco and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari is one of the first cars out on track with some flow-vis on that rear wing.
It’s going to be a busy one with every second imperative in Monte Carlo.
Want to know who’s favourite for the Monaco GP?
Betting enjoys a huge market across professional sports and Formula 1 is no exception, with punters able to back who will sntach pole or win at any given Grand Prix across the season.
So with that in mind, who is tipped to do the business in Monaco? Find out below:
Hop on board for half a lap of the Circuit de Monaco
Find out what a part of this famous track is all about courtesy of the official FIA safety car, which itself is barely big enough to slot between the walls – let alone 20 Formula 1 cars!
Who will prevail in FP1 at this illustrious and glorious track?
Welcome to the blog for FP1 at the 2025 Monaco GP!
With qualifying absolutely crucial this weekend, it’s imperative that teams dial in their one-lap speed as much as possible by ensuring the cars have the best balance possible to attack the narrow walls.
Remember that a slightly mistake almost certainly means a crash into the barriers, and with six rookies on the grid, could we see a red flag in Monte Carlo?
Where to Watch FP1 at 2025 Monaco GP
For fans watching from the United States, they can catch the action live on ESPN2 whilst those in the United Kingdom should head to Sky Sports F1.
Finally, for our friends from Australia, Fox Sports 506 holds the rights to broadcast the opening session of the Monte Carlo weekend besides the Mediterranean Sea.
What time is FP1 at the F1 2025 Monaco GP?
FP1 at the F1 2025 Monaco GP begins at 13:30 local time in the Principality, which borders France in Europe. For fans in the UK, that means you should tune in at 12:30 BST.
For those joining us from the United States, flick on your TVs and streaming devices at 07:30 ET/04:30 PT.
Australians should watch on from 21:30 AEST.
