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The crown jewel. That’s the accompanying slogan alongside the Monaco Grand Prix: a Formula 1 staple-event identified with the sort-of glitz and glamour we saw last time out in Miami. And will see again in Las Vegas in November. F1’s obsession with the US has given the principality a direct rival or two stateside, to the extent that its long-term viability in the sport if far from a certainty, given the difficulty of overtaking at the track. But that’s for another day. For now, the famed twists and turns on the shores of the French Riviera still offer the most unique of challenges for the 20 drivers as they return to action for the first time in three weeks. And that distinctiveness should, in theory, give Red Bull their toughest task yet in 2023. Christian Horner’s team have won all five races so far this season; six if you include the sprint in Azerbaijan. At a canter, too. Yet for a car which reigns supreme on long-straights and in high-speed corners comes a track with few long-straights and a series of low-speed corners. As such, opportunity arises for Ferrari, Aston Martin and Mercedes. And judging by practice on Friday – ahead of the critical and often finalistic nature of Monaco qualifying on Saturday – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will face opposition stauncher than in the opening months of the season. The opening hour of first practice very much gave room for optimism: no Red Bull car was in the top-three, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz topped the timesheets. The Spaniard, team-mate to hometown hero Charles Leclerc, is quick around Monaco but rather ruined his day with a crash at the swimming pool chicane in the closing stages of second practice. “We’ve been in better in qualifying than in race-pace,” said Sainz. “A couple of strong years in Monaco. I want to be optimistic and feel as though we have the chance to win.” Leclerc, who has never finished on the podium at his home race, has been on pole the last two years – and will always back himself to put himself on top over one lap. He too looked rapid on Friday. But the dark horse, unquestionably, is a pole position for Fernando Alonso on Saturday. The Spaniard has been talking up his hopes of winning in Monaco, now more than 10 years since his last F1 victory in Barcelona. He was second-fastest in his pacey Aston Martin in FP1; fourth in FP2. A mixed day, meanwhile, for world championship leader Verstappen. His first hour of running saw the Dutchman dogged with balance issues; complaints aplenty over team radio. He was only sixth-fastest, but brought it back to top the leaderboard during the second practice qualifying simulations as the sun set. His team-mate and rival Sergio Perez, 14 points behind in the standings, could only manage seventh. And what about Mercedes? New sidepods – with the strange-looking ‘no-sidepod’ design finally ditched – on the car, alongside a new front suspension and floor. While the true impact won’t be properly felt until Spain next week, it seemed generally more of the same for the time being. Lewis Hamilton adapted better, third-quickest in first practice, while George Russell failed to finish in the top-10 in either session. Pole may be beyond the Silver Arrows. Excitement will be palpable, however, at Ferrari and Aston, eager to take the fight to Red Bull for a pivotal qualifying session come Saturday afternoon. Rain forecast on Sunday, too, could spice up what is quite often a bog-standard grand prix, with overtaking near impossible. Read More What time is F1 qualifying tomorrow at the Monaco Grand Prix? Lewis Hamilton has shut the door on Ferrari – will he come to regret it? Max Verstappen struggles as Carlos Sainz goes fastest in Monaco opening practice Lewis Hamilton speaks out on Vinicius Jr racist abuse: ‘It’s devastating’ Bernie Ecclestone would be surprised if Lewis Hamilton wanted to leave Mercedes

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Max Verstappen finished fastest in practice for the Monaco Grand Prix as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz crashed out. Verstappen edged out home favourite Charles Leclerc by just 0.065 seconds with his Ferrari team-mate Sainz third. Fernando Alonso finished fourth for Aston Martin ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. As Verstappen raced to the top of the charts, Sainz’s running ended with 17 minutes remaining. The Spaniard, who was earlier quickest in the first session, clipped the entry barrier into the swimming pool chicane, damaging his right-front suspension, before heading straight into the tyre wall on the opposite side of the track. “I crashed,” said the Spaniard. “I’m sorry.” The session was suspended for six minutes as Sainz’s wounded Ferrari was removed from the circuit. After giving up on this season’s car on the eve of the opening race, Mercedes have arrived for the sixth round in the sun-cooked principality with a new concept. The Silver Arrows have abandoned their controversial zero-sidepod design and introduced a new front suspension, new floor and cooling system in a change of development on a car which has contributed to the longest losing streak of Hamilton’s career. On Sunday, it will be 539 days since Hamilton last stood on the top step of the podium at the penultimate round of the contentious 2021 season in Saudi Arabia. However, on the evidence of practice, the seven-time world champion appears no closer to the front. Hamilton ended the opening running in third place, but he had dropped to sixth by the conclusion of the day, half-a-second back. George Russell was a disappointing 12th in the other Mercedes, seven tenths adrift. Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez are the only men to have won a race this year and their rapid Red Bull is not necessarily suited to the narrow and slow-speed confines of the unique Monte Carlo configuration. But, despite Perez managing only seventh in practice, Verstappen’s pace on Friday suggests he might yet be the driver to beat for the remainder of the weekend. In first practice, the red flags were deployed in the closing minutes when Alex Albon lost control of his Williams through the opening Sainte Devote corner. The London-born Thai slammed into the wall, but, despite admitting to banging his knees, he emerged relatively unscathed from the 100mph accident. The same could however not be said for Albon’s Williams following significant damage to the left-hand side of his machine. He returned to the track with 11 minutes of second practice remaining following a three-hour repair job by his team. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lewis Hamilton: Racist abuse of Vinicius Junior really hits home for me Bernie Ecclestone would be surprised if Lewis Hamilton wanted to leave Mercedes Lewis Hamilton insists right decision is made as Emilia Romagna GP cancelled

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