© Getty Images2024 Monaco Grand Prix - Free Practice ReportHigh Lap Count As Bulls Struggle With ‘Bouncy’ Monaco
BothMaxandChecoputinmorethan60lapsoverthetwopracticesessionsonFriday,butstruggledtogetcomfortableintheRB20s,whichshowedonthetimesheets.InFreePracticeone,MaxfinishedP11withChecoP12andinthelattersessionP4andP8respectively.
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The opening session of the weekend was a busy one for the Bulls with both drivers logging 29 laps each even though they were on very different strategies.
Checo began his session on the hard tyres, which for the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix is the C2 compound, making the soft tyres the C5. Seemingly on a high-fuel strategy, he put in eight push laps, setting a time of 1:15:412 on his fifth before putting for a different front wing. He then put in three more push laps, improving his time to 1:13.910, placing him P6 at that point.
With 20 minutes remaining, Checo emerged from the garage on fresh medium tyres, putting in one push lap and setting a time of 1:13.229, placing him P9 at that point. Returning into the pits after requesting for a change, the red flag was waved on track for debris, which seemed to have come from Guanyu Zhou’s car when he scraped a barrier.
When the pitlane was open, Checo returned to the action, but was unable to improve on his time and with four minutes remaining, he had to return to the pits again due to a puncture in his rear left tyre. He ended his session in P12.
Max’s session started on the medium tyre and after a total of six push laps on the yellow-walled tyres, he had set a time of 1:13.476, putting him P12 when he had finished that stint.
Max left the garage with 16 minutes remaining on fresh mediums, but before he could complete a push lap the red flags hindered him. He was able to put in one more flyer before the chequered flag, posting a time of 1:12.984, placing him P11 where he ended the session.
Unusually, the Bulls found themselves down the timesheet, most of the other drivers in the top half had set times on the soft compound, the fastest of which was Lewis Hamilton, whose time of 1:12.169 was enough for him to secure P1. Oscar Piastri was in P2 and George Russell third.
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The Bulls were keen to get out on track and were queuing for the green light in the pitlane at the beginning of FP2. Max was on the hard tyre, whilst Checo was on a fresh set of mediums.
It was a high-milage first stint with both drivers putting in five push laps each. Max’s fastest time of 1:12.723 placed him P3 at that moment, Checo’s 1:13.385 saw him in P9.
The Bulls then tested the red-walled soft tyre on for the first time in Monaco.
Checo’s first flyer on the softs saw him in P2 with a time of 1:12.336. Max then eclipsed his teammate, taking the second spot with a 1:11.813.
Both drivers were complaining of porpoising and Max even said over the radio it was giving him a headache. Max came in for a front wing adjustment and on his next flyer he clipped the wall with his rear wheel and aborted the lap, returning to the pits.
Checo was able to complete two more push laps with his best time being 1:12.009, placing him P8, where he would finish the session.
Max and Checo finished the hour with some race-simulation laps. Max completed 12 laps on the hard tyre, whilst Checo completed 10 on his used mediums.
Charles Leclerc finished top of the timesheet with a time of 1:11.278. Max was eventually pushed down to P4 with Lewis Hamilton taking P2 and Fernando Alonso in third.
The Bulls are back on track tomorrow for FP3 (12:30 track time) followed by qualifying (16:00). Keep coming back to the Race Hub for all the exclusive content on the Team and drivers.
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| Rank | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | | 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:12.169 | - |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:12.198 | +0.029 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:12.295 | +0.126 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:12.396 | +0.227 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:12.397 | +0.228 |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:12.775 | +0.606 |
| 7 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:12.789 | +0.620 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Visa Cash App RB | 1:12.875 | +0.706 |
| 9 | Daniel Ricciardo | Visa Cash App RB | 1:12.901 | +0.732 |
| 10 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:12.954 | +0.785 |
| 11 | Max Verstappen | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1:12.984 | +0.815 |
| 12 | | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1:13.229 | +0.060 |
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