Monaco: pre-qualifying 2023

 

Ah, Monaco. My least favourite circuit on the calendar, when commentators gush about heritage on a circuit that’s slow and almost impossible to overtake on.

Qualifying, however, can be quite entertaining, and if there’s rain (not checked the forecast just yet) that can help.

In first practice a surprise trio of Sainz, Alonso, and Hamilton led the way, with Perez, Leclerc, and Verstappen in positions 4-6 (suspect those chaps might be top 3 come showtime). Norris, Ocon, Stroll, and Albon rounded out the top 10.

Second practice had Verstappen leading both Ferraris narrowly (Lecerc ahead of Sainz) with Alonso, Norris, Hamilton and then Perez following. The Mexican will need to up his game for qualifying, although street circuits are his bag so one might expect that. Bottas, Gasly and Ocon completed the upper half of the time sheet.

For reasons of time I’m posting this ahead of third practice, which runs from half 11 (qualifying itself is at 3pm). The weather is expected to be dry.

Perez each way at 9 for qualifying is worth consideration, as is Sainz at 7 (yes, he had a little crash in second practice but was a few hundredths only off Leclerc). Perez can also be backed to be top 3 at 2.87. This only failed to be the case, so far, at Australia this year. But the Ferraris are looking tasty.

 

I’ve decided not to bet on this as it’s been a few weeks and it’s possible the lack of high speed straights and development advances could have altered the running order (the latter especially). Plus, I'm pretty tired and don't have time to get more awake.

 

Morris Dancer

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