Max to start Monaco Grand Prix from P5: 'We do not have the mechanical grip'

Published on 24 May 2025 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen will start the Monaco Grand Prix from fifth position. Lando Norris took pole position in his McLaren, ahead of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in P2 and Oscar Piastri’s McLaren in P3. Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari will line up in P4. Max’s Oracle Red Bull Racing teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, ended qualifying in twelfth place.

“Especially in that middle sector, we are just losing too much time,” Max said after qualifying on the streets of Monte Carlo. “We just do not have the mechanical grip in the slow corners, but that has been an issue for a while now and you can see it at several circuits.”

Max continued: “Here, there are even slower corners, especially in sector two, with cambered corners and kerbs you need to ride, our car just does not handle those well. You cannot compensate for that. As soon as we started qualifying, it was clear we were not in the mix, so that fifth place is just normal.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, the four-time world champion remarked: “I am not thinking about it too much. With those two pit stops, it can work in your favour or against you. In the end, it is 24 races this season and we just need to tick this one off.”

As Q1 got underway, the weather in Monaco was once again fine, as it had been all weekend. After his crash at the end of the third free practice, the Ferrari team managed to get Lewis Hamilton’s car ready in time for qualifying. For the drivers, the main task was to plan a qualifying lap that avoided traffic, especially in Q1, when the track is at its busiest.

Oliver Bearman likely had little to gain in qualifying after being handed a ten-place grid penalty on Friday for overtaking under a red flag. This meant he had to finish at least P9 to avoid starting from the very back.

Some drivers opted for two warm-up laps before starting a flying lap. Midway through Q1, the top three were Norris, Piastri, and Max, while Isack Hadjar, Nico Hülkenberg, Franco Colapinto, Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly were in the danger zone.

When the flag fell for Q1, Leclerc topped the timesheets ahead of Norris and Piastri. Max was fourth, while Kimi Antonelli put his Mercedes into the wall, ending qualifying for the young Italian and bringing out a red flag, which delayed the start of Q2. Gabriel Bortoleto, Bearman, Gasly, Stroll, and Colapinto were out and could hit the showers.

At the start of Q2, several drivers chose to go out on medium tyres. Max, like both McLarens, went out on a new set of softs. George Russell brought out a red flag after his Mercedes broke down in the tunnel. That meant further disappointment for Mercedes, as Antonelli had already crashed out. After the first run, Norris, Max, and Leclerc topped the times. At the back, Esteban Ocon, Tsunoda, Piastri, and both Mercedes were outside the top ten and in danger of elimination.

When the track was cleared, ten minutes remained on the clock. In the final part of Q2, Max stayed in the pits while others went out. With just over four minutes to go, Max finally went out on a previously used set of softs and managed to climb to P3.

As the flag fell for Q2, Norris, Leclerc, and Alex Albon were the top three. Carlos Sainz, Tsunoda, Hülkenberg, and both Mercedes drivers failed to make the cut, ending their Saturday sessions.

When Q3 began, Ocon’s Haas was fitted with a set of medium tyres. Some drivers went out on used softs, others on new ones. After the first run, Norris was on top, followed by Piastri, Leclerc, and Max. It seemed nothing could touch the two McLarens.

At the start of the decisive final run in Q3, Norris and Piastri went out early and improved their times, with Norris ahead of Piastri. Hamilton jumped to P3 before Leclerc took P1. Max couldn’t match them and ended up in P5. Both McLarens went for a second flying lap on the same tyres, and only Norris managed to make the most of it. The Briton snatched P1 in style, pushing Leclerc down to P2 and securing pole position for Sunday’s race.

Contest Monaco GP: win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing 2025 cap!

Results qualifying Monaco: