Lewis Hamilton produced a commanding display on Friday to set the fastest time in second practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, edging Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in a closely fought session on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Hamilton Edges Leclerc in Tight FP2 Battle
The seven-time world champion clocked a best lap of 1:13.026, beating local favourite Leclerc by 0.111 seconds as Ferrari locked out the top two positions in FP2.
Read Also: Lewis Hamilton recounts his tough Ferrari debut
Hamilton’s performance underlined his resurgence after a strong showing at the Canadian Grand Prix, with the 41-year-old appearing increasingly comfortable in his second season with Ferrari.
Verstappen and Mercedes in Pursuit
Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull, just 0.168 seconds off the pace, ahead of Mercedes drivers George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli, who both remained within half a second of the benchmark.
The session reinforced Ferrari’s pace around the tight street circuit, but also confirmed a tightly packed leading group heading into qualifying.
Strong Form Fuels Hamilton’s Confidence
Hamilton, a three-time Monaco winner (2008, 2016, 2019), is targeting a record-extending 105th pole position and 106th career win this weekend, while also chasing an eighth Monaco podium to match Ayrton Senna’s record.
His improved form has been linked to changes within his Ferrari setup, including race engineer Carlo Santi, who has played a key role in his adaptation.
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