Leclerc fastest for Ferrari in Monaco practice
MONACO: Charles Leclerc thrilled Ferrari fans braced for another difficult day by overcoming an early collision to lead both practice sessions for his home Monaco Grand Prix on Friday.
McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri was second fastest in practice two, 0.038 slower than last year's winner and despite running into the tyre wall nose-first at Sainte Devote.
The Australian split the Ferrari drivers, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton third.
Leclerc, who has been on pole three times in the last four Monaco races, lapped the tight and twisty street circuit with a best time of one minute 11.355 seconds in the late afternoon sunshine.
He had set the pace in opening practice with a lap of 1:11.964 — a turn-up after neither Ferrari qualified in the top 10 at Imola last weekend.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll collected a one-place grid drop for Sunday's race after stewards ruled the Canadian was to blame for the collision with Leclerc running into him at the hairpin.
The session was stopped for debris to be cleared with the Aston Martin requiring repairs to the rear suspension and a gearbox change.
Stewards ruled Stroll had cut across Leclerc's path, with the Canadian saying he had not heard the team's warning over the radio.
Leclerc broke his car's front wing in the incident but returned after a brief red flag period to go 0.163 quicker than Red Bull's four-times world champion and Imola winner Max Verstappen.
McLaren's Lando Norris was third and fourth in the respective sessions.
Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson was fifth in practice two, ahead of French teammate Isack Hadjar who clipped the barrier at the tunnel exit and triggered red flags with his car limping back on three tyres and a puncture.
The rookie then hit the wall again at the first corner, damaging his car's rear suspension.
Hamilton was only ninth in practice one after going airborne over the kerbs at the swimming pool exit while Verstappen dropped to 10th in the second session.
Mercedes' George Russell was sixth and 12th respectively.
Aston Martin's double world champion Fernando Alonso, yet to score a point this season, completed the top 10 in practice one and was seventh in the second session.
Leclerc had played down his team's chances on Thursday while hoping for a surprise. Ferrari have lacked single-lap pace and struggled with slower corners this season but Monaco, the slowest track of all, offers the chance to set up the car without having to compromise on straight-line speed. — Reuters
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