Monaco Grand Prix qualifying results: Kimi Antonelli storms to pole position

Update: Kimi Antonelli has taken pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix. Read on to see how it happened.

The biggest qualifying session of the Formula 1 season has arrived.

When he met with the media ahead of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, then-Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Daniel Ricciardo waxed poetic about the Monaco Grand Prix, and in particular, the qualifying session. “I think of the event itself as a driver, the feeling of being in Monaco, you feel like … I don’t want this to sound like, I don’t know if materialistic is the word, but you feel like a superstar,” said Ricciardo.

Ricciardo continued on to say that as a driver, the Monaco Grand Prix is a moment where you have to stop and pinch yourself, and remember that what you get to do is something pretty special

“But it’s the one place where you’re like, ‘I’m doing something really awesome.’ And if you’re not appreciating it, it’s a place where you really appreciate the job you have,” added Ricciardo.

“There’s like an aura just that surrounds that event, that race. Saturday qualifying in Monaco is one of the most intense feelings we get as a driver,” continued Ricciardo.

That hour has arrived. And given how tough overtaking is on the streets of Monte Carlo, starting up front in the Monaco Grand Prix is a must if you want to reach the podium, or even stand on the top step.

Ferrari flexed its muscle on Friday, with Charles Leclerc topping FP1 ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, and the two switching places for FP2. Will this be their day, or will Mercedes fight back? And what about Red Bull and McLaren, will one of those teams have an answer?

Another sneaky team to watch is Audi. Both Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto finished inside the top ten in both FP1 and FP2, and the might have something to say about this qualifying hour before all is said and done.

We’ll be following the session here live, which gets underway at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday morning. So check back early and often!

Monaco Grand Prix qualifying results

Here is the provisional starting grid, which will be filled in throughout the hour:

We’re also following the results live here, so join the conversation!

Monaco Grand Prix qualifying updates

Qualifying gets underway at 10:00 a.m., with three different segments — Q1, Q2, and Q3 — to set the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix. The six slowest drivers in Q1 will be eliminated, and then the six slowest drivers in Q2 will be dropped, setting the stage for a ten driver shootout for pole position in Q3.

All updates will be listed in Eastern Time.

Monaco qualifying Q3 updates

11:08: ANTONELLI TAKES P1!!! The Drivers’ Championship leader pumps in a 1:12.051, o.043 ahead of Verstappen.

11:08: Hamilton cuts the beam and is in second.

11:08: Verstappen cuts the beam with a 1:12.094 and he is in P1 for the moment.

11:07: Verstappen purple through the first sector.

11:06: Can anyone catch Leclerc? We’re about to find out.

11:05: Leclerc on an absolute flying lap. Purple through the second sector and he jumps ahead of Antonelli for provisional pole.

11:04: Leclerc has begun his next push lap. He is just one-tenth off Antonelli through the first sector.

11:03: Here we go.

11:02: Leclerc heads back out, he was down in P10 after bailing out of his first push lap.

11:01: Six minutes remain. Just enough time to catch your breath before what could be a magical end to Q3.

11:00: Verstappen is P2 just 0.001 behind Antonelli. My word.

10:59: And now it is Antonelli on provisional pole with a 1:12.375.

10:59: Hamilton goes into provisional pole with a 1:12.553.

10:58: Piastri is purple through the first two sectors, while Leclerc seems to be struggling. He was on the radio lamenting the prep for his tires. Piastri goes P1 fora second, but Norris nips him to take P1 for the moment.

10:55: Q3 is underway. Buckle up pals.

10:50: Verstappen, Antonelli, Hadjar, Leclerc, Norris, Hamilton, Piastri, Russell, Lawson, and Gasly are the ten drivers through to Q3. How about that final lap from Hadjar!

Monaco qualifying Q2 updates

10:49: Albon, Sainz, Hülkenberg, Colapingo, Lindblad, and Bortoleto are the six drivers eliminated in Q2.

10:47: Albon and Sainz are out, they could not improve enough to get into Q3. Hadjar jumps to P3 for the moment and he is through.

10:47: Verstappen drops in a 1:12.499, the best lap of the weekend so far.

10:45: Two minutes remain, and this is the current order: Antonelli, Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Hadjar, Russell, Gasly, Lawson, Hülkenberg, Sainz, Colapinto, Albon, Lindblad, and Bortoleto.

10:43: Just over four minutes left. Sainz, Albon, Gasly, Lindblad, Colapinto, and Bortoleto are the six in the drop zone. Antonelli still leads the way ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris.

10:40: Seven minutes remain in Q2, and the six drivers in the drop zone are: Hülkenberg, Albon, Gasly, Lindblad, Colapinto, and Bortoleto. Bortoleto is already out, due to his incident in Q1.

10:38: Thanks to a big final sector, Antonelli rockets into P1 with a 1:12.778.

10:37: Some shuffling in the top five, as it now stands Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Hamilton, and Hadjar.

10:37: Now some representative times are coming in and it is Verstappen in P1 with a 1:13.205.

10:36: Times are coming in but they are not exactly representative, as Gasly currently tops the table with a 1:20.220. These are more “fast buildup” laps than true push laps. Drivers are trying to generate as much heat into the tires as they can.

10:32: Q2 is underway, with 15 minutes on the clock.

10:28: Leclerc, Verstappen, Antonelli, Norris, Hamilton, Hülkenberg, Piastri, Russell, Albon, Sainz, Hadjar, Gasly, Lawson, Colapinto, Bortoleto, and Lindblad are the 16 drivers through to Q2. But Bortoleto will not participate, given the incident at the Nouvelle Chicane.

Monaco qualifying Q1 updates

10:26: Sainz pulls himself out of the drop zone with a banger of a lap. He’s through to Q2. The six drivers eliminated are: Ocon, Pérez, Bearman, Bottas, Alonso, and Stroll.

10:25: Stroll is the first driver eliminated. The clock has hit zero and final laps are underway.

10:24: The drivers currently in the top six — Leclerc, Verstappen, Antonelli, Norris, Hamilton, and Hülkenberg —are sitting out the final two minutes.

10:22: The session has resumed, and Pérez is the first car back on the grid. Could Cadillac play the traffic game and get into Q2?

10:19: Cars are already lining up for when the session resumes. Ruth Buscombe notes that 2:01 is the time it takes to wind around Monaco on a warm-up lap, so that will be tight for cars that are at the back of the queue.

10:17: Red flag. Bortoleto has hit the barrier at the Nouvelle Chicane. He is out, and it is a massive missed opportunity for Audi. The clock is stopped with 2:11 left on the clock. This will be very tough for some of the drivers that still need a lap.

10:15: Drivers at risk right now include Bearman (P15) and Sainz (P16).

10:14: Big laps from Verstappen and Antonelli move them into P2 and P3, respectively.

10:13: Four minutes remain in Q1 and it is Albon, Gasly, Alonso, Pérez, Stroll, and Bottas in the drop zone.

10:13: Norris improves his time but not his position, as he creeps closer to Leclerc. The Ferrari driver then does the same, keeping himself in P1 for the moment.

10:11: Russell pulls himself out of the drop zone, but only up to P10. He’s not hooking the W17 up just yet.

10:10: Eight minutes are left in Q1 and the six drivers in the drop zone are: Russell, Colapinto, Alonso, Pérez, Stroll, and Bottas.

10:09: Norris goes P1, but just for a moment. Leclerc immediately nips him with a 1:13.399. Piastri then slots into P3 with his next effort, 0.760 seconds off Leclerc’s time.

10:07: We noted the Audis up top. Right now Bortoleto is in P5 and Hülkenberg is in P6. That’s ahead of Piastri, although it is early. But the Audis could be on for Q3 here today.

10:06: Leclerc jumps to P1 with a 1:14.141. Norris slides into P2 with a 1:14.295, followed by Antonelli with a 1:14.313.

10:05: Times are starting to come in, and at the moment Lawson is at the top of the timing sheets with a 1:15.477. But those times will start to tumble in short order.

10:01: Q1 is underway. 18 minutes are on the clock, and the 16 fastest drivers will advance to Q2.

9:59: Q1 starts in a minute but the cars are already lined up at the end of pit lane. Traffic is going to be an issue with 22 cars on the circuit.

9:59: “It is the highest of highs,” notes David Coulthard about taking pole in Monaco, which he did back in 2001.

9:54: Just about time to get this party started.

What happened in FP3?

What happened in FP3 at the Monaco Grand Prix?

Mercedes fought back.

Specifically Antonelli, as the Drivers’ Championship leader topped the timing sheets with a 1:12.720, 0.327 seconds ahead of Leclerc in P2 and 0.331 seconds ahead of Hamilton in third.

Here is the full classification from FP3:

It’s all to play for in just a few hours.