Leclerc leads all three practice sessions, Verstappen finds rhythm, Hamilton kisses the wall, and F1’s drone camera redefines Monaco’s perspective
The final practice session of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix delivered a cinematic blend of dominance, drama, and disruption. Charles Leclerc topped FP3, completing a perfect practice sweep and solidifying his place as the man to beat in Monaco. And this time, it’s more than just home-crowd momentum, Leclerc is rewriting the stats book.
Leclerc’s Historic Seven-Session Streak
With his FP3-topping time of 1:11.914, Leclerc became the first driver since Max Verstappen at the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix to lead all three practice sessions in a race weekend, ending a streak that stood for 574 days. But that’s just the surface.
Going deeper, Leclerc has now led seven consecutive sessions around Monaco:
- 2024: FP2, FP3, Qualifying, Race
- 2025: FP1, FP2, FP3
It’s a feat of control and consistency that’s almost unheard of in modern F1. His pace looks untouchable, but more importantly, it’s measured and repeatable. No overdriving, no risks, just clinical precision lap after lap. After years of heartbreak in the Principality, Leclerc isn’t just exorcising demons, he’s turning Monaco into his playground.
Hamilton Hits the Wall, Ferrari Performs Pit Lane Surgery
Ferrari’s other car had a more turbulent session. Lewis Hamilton clipped the barrier at Massenet, damaging the right rear. On a tight track with limited access, Ferrari opted for an unconventional solution: instead of replacing just the suspension, they swapped the entire rear end and gearbox, along with the nose, front wing, and front-right suspension.
Why the drastic move? Simply put, it was faster than trying to surgically replace a single component within Monaco’s tight tolerances. The rear-end assembly came off like a Lego piece, a pit lane masterclass in modular repair. Despite the incident, Hamilton still clocked the fifth-fastest time, showing the underlying pace is very much alive.
Colapinto vs. Bearman: Rookie Misjudgment Sparks Fury
The session’s most polarizing moment came from Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, who blocked Oliver Bearman during the Haas driver’s flying lap. Bearman, who had been piecing together a strong weekend, was forced to abandon the lap, visibly frustrated on the radio.
The situation didn’t go unnoticed:
- Poor spatial awareness
- Slow reaction despite blue flags
- No post-lap apology or explanation
These weren’t just rookie growing pains, they were a breakdown in basic on-track etiquette. As pressure mounts, moments like these could define reputations early.
Drone Cam Debuts, and Delivers
Amid the action, one innovation soared above the rest, literally. F1’s new high-altitude drone shot gave fans a sweeping, top-down view of the Monaco circuit like never before.
The impact was instant. The drone didn’t just look good, it revealed line discipline, braking markers, and the sheer proximity to barriers in a way no other camera has managed. It made Monaco look fast, fluid, and ferocious. A welcome upgrade in a venue that’s traditionally hard to film dynamically. This was the kind of camera innovation that actually changed how people experienced the session.
FP3 Top 10 Classification:
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Alexander Albon (Williams)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Carlos Sainz (Williams)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Final Thoughts: A Perfect Storm Building
With qualifying just hours away, all the ingredients for a classic Monaco showdown are in place:
- Leclerc is in the form of his life, with history and home behind him.
- Verstappen is finding pace, but still fighting setup gremlins.
- Hamilton, despite a brush with the barriers, is dangerously close to the front.
- And behind them, rookies like Bearman and Colapinto are about to be tested under the lights.
If the race is half as dramatic as FP3, we’re in for a Monaco Grand Prix weekend to remember.