F1 Monaco GP: Max Verstappen pips Fernando Alonso to pole, Sergio Perez 20th after crash
In a pulsating, see-sawing qualifying session around the famous streets of Monte Carlo, Alonso was seconds away from claiming his first poꦐle in over a decade until an incredible last-gasp effort from Verstappen.
Verstappen remarkably found two tenths in the short final sector and survived a hit with a barrier coming out of the final corner to snatch his first pole in Monaco, beating Alonso by just 0.♔084s.
It marked the two-time world champion’s 23rd career pole and was arguably🤪 the finest of his career to date.
Home favourite Charles Lecle🔜rc missed out on a third consecutive pole by 0.106s and had to settle with third place, but the Ferrari driver faces an investigation for a potential block on Lando Norris.
Alpine’s Esteban 🌠Ocon briefly held provisional pole with an incredible lap that was good enough for fourth, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
🍸Lewis Hamilton was three-tenths off the pace as he took sixth ♌in his upgraded Mercedes, ahead of the second Alpine of Pierre Gasly and teammate George Russell.
Yuki Tsunoda and Norris completed the tꦍop-10 order for AlphaTauri and McLaren respectively.
It was a calamitous qualifying session for last year’s winner Sergio Perez, who slammed into the wall at Sainte Devote in Q1, leaving him 20th on the grid and 🦄last.
It marks a potentially devastating blow to Perez’s title hopes, with the Mexican already 14 points behind his teammate and needing🔯 a miracle to avoid a further points loss on Sunday.
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