Leclerc sets the pace in final Monaco GP practice, Hamilton hits the wall
Charles Leclerc went fastest for Ferrari as team mate Lewis Hamilton crashed in final Monaco Grand Prix practice on Saturday.
Leclerc, who has taken pole position in three of the last four Monaco Grands Prix and won last year, led both Friday sessions around his home circuit and completed the sweep with a lap of 1:10.953 seconds.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen was second, 0.280 slower but on the medium tyres compared to Leclerc's softs, followed by the McLarens of Lando Norris (+0.294) and Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri (+0.445).
Australian Piastri leads Norris by 13 points after seven of 24 races.
Seven-times world champion Hamilton was fifth fastest but hit the wall on the approach to Casino Square, after coming up fast behind traffic, with two minutes remaining and the session then red-flagged.
"Damn, hit the wall. Sorry guys," said the three-times Monaco winner over the radio.
The car was missing a front-right tyre, and had the wrap from an advertising hoarding wrapped around the right rear, with Ferrari mechanics facing a race against the clock to fix the damage before qualifying.
Liam Lawson was seventh for Racing Bulls ahead of Williams's Carlos Sainz, Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes's Kimi Antonelli.
Qualifying was due to start at 1400 GMT, with pole crucial at a circuit where overtaking has been extremely difficult and an extra, second mandatory stop has been introduced this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Ultraviolence of viral games knocks sports safety back centuries
The dangerous new 'sport' called Run It Straight has already led to one known death. Created in Australia, Run It Straight is a new, ultraviolent combat sport. Across a 20m x 4m grassed 'battlefield', two players charge at full speed towards one another. Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner) and defending (tackler), victory is awarded via a knockout (a competitor cannot continue), or a judge's decision based on an athlete's dominance during the collisions. Despite neuroscientists issuing grave warnings about the brutal sport's risks, Run It Straight's viral popularity on social media, including its endorsement among high-profile athletes, is accelerating. Melbourne hosted the inaugural ' Runit Championship League ' event at the beginning of May. Footage showed some participants convulsing after their collisions as the winner celebrated, surrounded by children. Drawing hundreds of spectators and millions of online views, the full-speed collision challenge is already turning its violence and social media footprint into commercial success abroad, securing interest in the US. The sport held some events in New Zealand in the week of 19 May, but one was halted by the Auckland city council because of safety concerns and the failure to secure necessary permits. A history of sport and violence In ancient times, symbolic cultural displays of power and physical dominance featured in combat sports such as wrestling, boxing, pankration (a mixed martial art combining boxing and wrestling) and even armoured foot races. This brutal entertainment is reflected in contemporary collision sports such as the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia and New Zealand, and the Australian Football League (AFL). In recent decades, however, the danger of concussion has resulted in most contact sports changing rules and regulations to protect athletes from head injuries. Various measures have been implemented to mitigate, eliminate and treat head trauma. The Australian government has been exerting influence and committing material resources to support athletes living with brain issues such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Considering this multipronged effort to make contact sports safer, the violence of Run It Straight is jarring. Why are these new sports so popular? With its origins as a social media challenge, Run It Straight is perfect content for short-form social media platforms: an entire competition can be distilled into a 30-second highlight. Compared with many collision sports that have complex rules and strategies, which can be a barrier to interest, engagement and commercial returns, the accessible and minimalist format of Run It Straight also makes it attractive to fans. Run It Straight and other emerging violent sports such as Power Slap – a fight sport where contestants slap each other so hard they can be knocked unconscious – are simplistic and brutal. Athletes in most traditional collision sports use their physical ability and skill to evade contact. Similarly, boxing is not just about strikes to the head – it is also about evading punches, supreme physical fitness and scoring points. But the visual spectacle and shock of two people running towards one another for an inevitable collision is a form of violence that appeals to an increasing number of fans. Risks and possible remedies Run It Straight is a new sport, and to our knowledge there is no empirical peer-reviewed research focusing on it. But many neurologists have expressed concerns about its total disregard for scientific evidence showing that repeated head trauma damages brain health. With Run It Straight appearing to lack the medical resources and infrastructure of professional sports organisations, and the competition's expressed intent to have participants collide at high speed, the risk of significant injury is high. Power Slap, though, has been the subject of empirical research. A 2024 study reported that many of the sport's combatants showed visible signs of concussion (motor incoordination, slowness to get up and blank and vacant looks during bouts). Opportunity for 'traditional' sports? The rise of Run It Straight and Power Slap creates a unique opportunity for the governing bodies of contact codes such as the AFL, NRL and rugby union to highlight what sets them apart. Key to this is athlete safety. For years, governing bodies in these codes have invested time and resources to implement concussion management protocols at professional and community levels. The tournament-based format for individual adult participants allows Run It Straight to operate without the broader governance responsibilities of football codes. However, it is because of those governance responsibilities that the football codes can amplify their athlete wellbeing credentials to reassure participants and parents who may be nervous about concussion risks. Second, the football codes are organised team sports played with multiple players on a team, facilitating skill acquisition, teamwork, mental wellbeing and physical fitness. Although there appears to be a degree of camaraderie during Run It Straight events, it is evidently a one-on-one competition. Ultimately, the rise and evident popularity of Run It Straight and Power Slap provides a stark reminder there will always be a section of society that is drawn to high-risk behaviours. In turn, the football codes should look to highlight the value of balance and their athlete wellbeing credentials. DM First published by The Conversation. Christopher Yorke is a lecturer in sport management at Western Sydney University; Michelle O'Shea is a senior lecturer in the School of Business at Western Sydney University; Jeremy Sleiman is a lecturer in sport management at the Australian College of Physical Education and a research assistant at Western Sydney University. This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Williams on track to reclaim Formula One glory, one race at a time
It's a long-term goal that won't be accomplished soon, but the future is starting to look far more promising than in recent years. Williams Racing is one of the most significant teams in Formula One. The British outfit, founded by grocery salesman Frank Williams and engineer Patrick Head in 1977, is the second-most-successful team in the sport's history. Only Italian team Ferrari (16) has won more constructors' championships. The team was dominant throughout the 1980s and 1990s, earning its nine constructors' championship titles in that period. Australian driver Alan Jones won Williams its first drivers' world title in 1980. Clay Regazzoni had earned Williams its first points a year before. In the following decade Williams achieved more success with the likes of Alain Prost, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve becoming Formula One champions in its stable. Decline and change The turn of the millennium brought a decline in Williams' performances, and it only worsened as the years went by. The team earned a single point in 2019, finishing at the bottom of the 10-team constructors' championship after 21 races. To highlight just how poor Williams performed, first-placed Mercedes collected more than 700 points that year. Fans of the team who were still holding on to the golden era of the Eighties and Nineties would have been forgiven for thinking it could not get worse. They were mistaken. Williams performed even poorer in the 2020 season, concluding it without a single point. It was a horrid period for the once influential Formula One outfit. The only positive result from that annus horribilis was the Williams family deciding to sell to Dorilton Capital towards the end of the season because of financial difficulties. 'I'm delighted that we found a buyer like Dorilton, which has a passion for Williams and getting that team back to where we all want to see the team in Formula One – being successful,' Claire Williams, the team's former deputy team principal, told PlanetF1 in 2024. 'I'm just incredibly happy that it's got that future and it can now thrive. That's what I wanted to see. 'Towards the end I saw how difficult it was for everybody at Williams that they weren't able to be successful, despite enormous efforts on their part. We didn't have the budget, we didn't have the money to enable these great people that we had working for us to do the job that we were asking them to do. 'That wasn't fair. Selling at that point was the right thing to do because Dorilton has now armed those people with the money to get the job done.' Heading in the right direction Williams is now in better financial standing and heading in the right direction. Though it is still not on solid ground financially, recording an £84-million deficit in 2023, the new owners have invested significantly in the team. They are focused on the future and restoring it to its former glory. Some promising displays so far this season from drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz Jnr have seen Williams performing strongly. The team has already collected 54 points, compared with a paltry 17 last season. 'It's been a very promising start to the 2025 season. We've produced some really strong results and scored a huge number of points compared with recent seasons,' Albon told SB Nation. 'We have started the season strongly and we're delivering on the opportunities we're creating. We just need to ensure we don't get complacent and get the very maximum from what we have.' Leading this Williams resurgence is team principal James Vowles. With more than two decades in Formula One in various roles, the former Mercedes strategy director has been charged with bringing back the glory days of the British team. He was instrumental during Mercedes' dominant Formula One run between 2014 and 2021. Before that he played a pivotal role at minnows Brawn, where he oversaw the race strategy that resulted in Jenson Button securing the 2009 Formula One drivers' title and the team shockingly taking the constructors' championship. Key hires Vowles has been clear about his long-term vision and commitment to building the team 'from the ground up' since his arrival in 2023. At this point, the most important thing is fostering a competitive culture. Then, hopefully, the results will follow. 'If you want to win there is only one way to win: you can't get caught in the now,' Vowles told reporters at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. 'We were in a mess because we were short-termist all the way through the last 20 years. Some of it was financially driven, some of it driven by other elements. 'It's hard for fans to understand why we're doing this, but our targets are actually around the introduction of infrastructure, technology systems, how long it takes to build a front wing, how expensive it is. 'If I said to you our goal this year is to finish eighth, who cares? We'll probably beat that, but that's a moment in time. What we're defining here is a pathway that leads us back to winning.' In addition to Vowles, Williams has roped in a number of key people to bolster the technical team, including respected and experienced Pat Fry as chief technical officer. This move is aimed at strengthening its technical departments, particularly in aerodynamics and design. Williams may not reap the rewards any time soon, especially with its rivals also aiming for improvement after each race. However, for the fans who have followed the team through its ebbs and flows, the results so far will provide some hope that Williams can one day reclaim its spot at the summit of Formula One. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
From Mbombela to Salzburg: Sam Sam Spinning at Hangar-7 reopening (VIDEO)
At the heart of the Red Bull Hangar-7 reopening were the people and machines that shape the brand worldwide. From Mbombela to Salzburg, South African spinner Samkeliso 'Sam Sam' Thubane goes international. The spinner is representing SA at the reopening of Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria. Sam Sam of South Africa performs at the Red Bull Hangar-7 reopening at Salzburg, Austria, June 4, 2025 Picture: Red Bull Content Pool The event thrilled spectators with a range of extreme sports. These ranged from bikes to motorcycle displays, spinning, drifting and a F1 display by Max Verstappen and RB8. Max Verstappen of the Netherlands performs at the Red Bull Hangar-7 reopening at Salzburg, Austria, June 4, 2025. Picture: Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen drove the championship-winning RB8 in a motorsport display of excellence. Verstappen said: 'I've been quite often to Hangar-7 over my life so to me, it is a bit of a homecoming every time.' Aaron Colton, Connor Zilisch, Dani Pedrosa, Daniel Sanders, Mattias Ekstrom, Max Verstappen, Mike Whiddett, Nani Roma and Samkeliso Thubane. Picture: Red Bull Content Pool At the heart of the Red Bull Hangar-7 reopening were the people and machines that shape the brand worldwide. The occasion showcased high-powered motorsport, an airshow by The Flying Bulls, live music, culinary highlights and performances by international Red Bull athletes. From the outset, Red Bull Hangar-7 has been a meeting place – a stage and a work of art all in one. WATCH OUR ONE ON ONE WITH SAM SAM ALSO WATCH: It's confirmed! Red Bull Shay' iMoto 2025 is coming to Durban
