Ferrari leads the charge on the streets of Monaco
Arriving at the iconic Monaco circuit, Ferrari has immediately positioned itself as the team to watch. The SF-24, known for its prowess in slow-speed corners, appears perfectly suited to the tight confines of the Principality. Any deficit in outright engine power compared to rivals becomes less of a hindrance on this unique track. Free practice sessions seemed to confirm this impression, with the Scuderia securing a one-two finish in both sessions, first with Charles Leclerc and then with Lewis Hamilton setting the pace.
This resurgence from Ferrari could potentially end Mercedes’ dominant run this season. The Silver Arrows have been formidable from the start, leaving little for the competition, save for Lando Norris’s sprint victory in Miami. The prospect of a different team standing on the top step of the podium this Sunday is now very real.
Russell backs up the hype
George Russell, the British driver for Mercedes, has not been surprised by Ferrari’s performance. As early as Thursday, he predicted the Scuderia would be the team to beat this Grand Prix weekend. The initial free practice sessions have only served to validate his assessment. “We expected Ferrari to be the team to beat,” he told F1TV. “A lot of people thought I was perhaps talking a bit of nonsense when I said that, but clearly, they are the benchmark here.”
The German outfit’s driver also sees Red Bull as a serious contender for victory, with both teams running at the sharp end alongside Mercedes on the opening day. McLaren, on the other hand, appears to be struggling. “Red Bull has also been a bit of a surprise for us,” Russell added. “We knew that based on the circuits we’ve visited so far, this was probably going to be the most difficult one for us.”
Ferrari’s DNA a strength on street circuits
George Russell is convinced that the Italian challenger possesses an inherent characteristic that makes it particularly well-suited to street circuits and slow-speed layouts – a trait that has been evident at Ferrari for nearly a decade. “To be honest, the trends we’re seeing with Ferrari here, and on street circuits in general, have been the same for probably ten years,” the Brit explained. “I think every car has its own DNA, and Ferrari’s DNA, particularly on the mechanical side, is clearly working very well on these types of tracks.”
He highlighted that this advantage is even more pronounced on circuits featuring significant banking and elevation changes in the corners, as is the case in Monaco. “We’re doing everything we can to improve in that area, but as I said, I think we can close the gap if we can get on top of that aspect better. I’m not sure how much we can gain, though.”
Mercedes aiming to build on progress
Despite these observations, Mercedes is not giving up. The team finished the initial free practice session more than a second adrift of Charles Leclerc’s benchmark, before closing the gap to just three tenths in the second session. While this improvement is significant, it needs to be consistently demonstrated in qualifying and the race. Russell finds it hard to imagine victory eluding Ferrari this weekend, but his team’s potential for development suggests a close battle could still unfold.
Ferrari, bolstered by its mechanical advantage on this specific type of circuit, appears to hold a significant hand. The question remains whether Mercedes can fully exploit its potential and defy expectations in the upcoming sessions. The fight promises to be intense, and the spectacle, guaranteed.
Monaco GP: Key takeaways from day one:
- Ferrari emerges as the Monaco favourite with its SF-24 proving strong in slow-speed sections.
- George Russell confirms the Scuderia is the team to beat, a prediction he made before the weekend.
- Mercedes showed progress between FP1 and FP2, narrowing the gap to Ferrari.
- Ferrari’s mechanical DNA is particularly suited to street circuits and slow tracks like Monaco.
- Red Bull is also well-positioned, while McLaren appears to be struggling.
- The fight for victory looks set to be a close contest between Ferrari and Mercedes, with Red Bull in contention.
