© Getty ImagesFree Practice Update - Monaco Grand Prix 2021Round five is underway at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo.
It'soneofthemosticonictracksinmotorsportandthere'shistoryeverywhereyoulook.So,afterayearawayfromMonteCarlowe'redelightedtobebackatthe
Monaco Pre-Race Programme© Red Bull Racing Honda
Everyone is excited to be returning to Monte Carlo for the Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2021. The circuit has been on the calendar since 1950 and has only failed to make an appearance three times in the 71-year history. It can even claim its first motorsport event dating back to 1929.
The circuit has gone through many configuration changes over the years, but in its current guise the course is 3.337km long and this year will see a total of 78 laps making it a race distance of 260.286km.
Checo Navigates Around The Hairpin© Getty Images
The weekend in Monaco starts on Thursday for Free Practice, a day earlier than other race weekends, with a break in proceedings on Friday. This is due to the race previously taking place on a bank holiday, so racing was paused on the Friday to allow traffic to flow through Monte Carlo.
Both Bulls will be hoping to create some Monaco memories this weekend. Checo has claimed a podium here in 2016, with a third place finish. However, Max is yet to claim any kind of silverware in the principality.
At the end of the hour's Free Practice One, Checo brought his RB16B back in P1. He posted a 1.12.487 from a total of 36 laps. Max finished the session in P3 with a time of 1:12.648. The Dutchman completed 39 laps.
Friday afternoon's Free Practice Two saw Max finish in P4 after setting a best time of 1:12.091. He managed 27 laps of the circuit. Checo came home in P8 with a 1:12.709 and 24 laps to his name.
After a break from F1 track action on Friday, the Bulls were back up and running on Saturday for Free Practice Three. Both Bulls produced their best times of the weekend so far. Max finished P1 with a time of 1:11.294 and racked up 19 laps. Checo was P5 after setting a 1:11.817 He completed 18 laps.
Monaco Grand Prix 2021: Free Practice
Setting Off Some Early Sparks© Getty Images
Checo-ing Out Monte Carlo© Getty Images
Focussed For Thursday© Getty Images
Enjoying The Streets With Sergio© Getty Images
Lighting It Up In The Tunnel© Getty Images
Slow And Steady Around The Hairpin© Getty Images
All Set For Saturday© Getty Images
Taking It Around Antony Noghès© Getty Images
Max-ing Out In Monaco© Getty Images
Lights Shines On Max In Monaco© Getty Images
It's Good To Be Back Monaco© Getty Images
Side-By-Side With The Family© Getty Images
Locking Eyes With Max© Getty Images
We have a free day tomorrow to look at a few things to improve to make sure qualifying goes well on Saturday.
"It of course feels good to be back out on track in Monaco and although we did quite well in FP1, this afternoon’s session was tricky and I would have hoped that we could have been faster. We were too slow in FP2 and we really need to find some pace because everyone has traffic, you have to look to optimum lap times and optimum sectors and we were quite off. I usually feel quite comfortable in the car but that has not come yet this weekend. Luckily, we have a free day tomorrow to look at a few things to improve to make sure qualifying goes well on Saturday."
“It’s great to drive in Monaco again after not racing here last year. I’m enjoying it a lot as it’s such a fantastic track. We had a very good FP1 and the car was feeling strong, we made a few changes between sessions and I think maybe we took a step backwards but it’s hard to really know as I had traffic on my soft tyre run. I think we probably have work to do on our short runs but we have lots of information to look at now ahead of qualifying on Saturday when hopefully we can be in the mix. Even though he missed most of FP1, Charles still managed to end the session fastest so the Ferraris are looking strong but let’s see who sits where on Saturday when it counts.”
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Sergio Pérez | Carlos Sainz | Max Verstappen | Pierre Gasly | Lewis Hamilton | Valtteri Bottas | Lando Norris | Sebastain Vettel | Yuki Tsunoda | Kimi Räikkönen |
| Red Bull Racing Honda | Ferarri | Red Bull Racing Honda | AlphaTauri | Mercedes | Mercedes | McLaren | Aston Martin | AlphaTauri | Alfa Romeo |
| 1.12.487 | 1.12.606 | 1.12.648 | 1.12.929 | 1.12.995 | 1.13.131 | 1.13.236 | 1.13.732 | 1.13.746 | 1.14.081 |
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz | Lewis Hamilton | Max Verstappen | Valtteri Bottas | Lando Norris | Pierre Gasly | Sergio Pérez | Antonio Giovinazzi | Sebastain Vettel |
| Ferarri | Ferarri | Mercedes | Red Bull Racing Honda | Mercedes | McLaren | AlphaTauri | Red Bull Racing Honda | Alfa Romeo | Aston Martin |
| 1.11.684 | 1.11.796 | 1.12.074 | 1.12.081 | 1.12.107 | 1.12.379 | 1.12.498 | 1.12.708 | 1.12.746 | 1.12.982 |
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Max Verstappen | Carlos Sainz | Charles Leclerc | Valtteri Bottas | Sergio Pérez | Lando Norris | Lewis Hamilton | Kimi Räikkönen | Pierre Gasly | Sebastain Vettel |
| Red Bull Racing Honda | Ferarri | Ferarri | Mercedes | Red Bull Racing Honda | McLaren | Mercedes | Alfa Romeo | AlphaTauri | Aston Martin |
| 1.11.294 | 1.11.341 | 1.11.552 | 1.11.765 | 1.11.817 | 1.11.988 | 1.12.020 | 1.12.298 | 1.12.357 | 1.12.537 |
