12:30
Green flag!
FP1 is go!
Hamilton in Monaco
© XPB Images
F1 Monaco GP Friday practice as it happened
Live coverage of Friday at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Hadjar crashed in FP1 after complaints about bouncing
- Norris stops and retires from FP2
- Leclerc topped FP1 from Hamilton in Ferrari 1-2
The sixth round of the 2026 Formula 1 season takes place at the Monaco Grand Prix.
A divisive event among the F1 fanbase, Monaco is still viewed as the jewel in the championship's crown, with the narrow, twisting streets offering a challenge seen nowhere else on the calendar. With no time to rest on the 19-turn, 3.337km layout, even the smallest of mistakes can carry a huge penalty.
Don't expect to see too much focus on long runs across Friday, with the focus solely on securing an elevated grid position, given how difficult overtaking is in the Principality - a point highlighted by the fact that only Lance Stroll completed an on-track overtake after lap one in 2025.
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Monaco full of confidence after winning the Canadian Grand Prix, to make it four straight victories for the Italian teenager. Should he take to the top step of the podium in Monaco, he will equal Lewis Hamilton's greatest winning streak, with the seven-time champion twice achieving five on the bounce.
But he will face stiff competition from Mercedes team-mate George Russell, with whom he engaged in a tense wheel-to-wheel battle in Montreal before the Briton retired through a reliability issue.
McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari will also fancy their chances of disrupting Mercedes' early dominance, with Monaco often throwing up a surprise result in the midst of a dominant era.
Given its strength in low and mid-speed corners, Ferrari has been widely tipped as the favourite for success in Monaco, with home hero Charles Leclerc looking to replicate his 2024 success.
2026 Monaco Grand Prix Friday schedule
FP1 12:30pm BST - 1:30pm BST
FP2: 4:00pm BST - 5:00pm BST
05 Jun 2026
12:27
The music has played, and two minutes remain before lights out on FP1. Here we go!
12:15
It's entirely possible that there are worse commutes...
12:12
Russell is determined to battle back from his Canadian GP disappointment and maintains that taking every pole and winning every race will still give him the championship. While this is true, even he would concede that the task has become more difficult as each race passes.
12:06
Little winglets have been appearing on the rear wings this weekend, and Mercedes has provided this handy explainer on the devices and why they are showing up now.
12:03
Less than half an hour remains before the cars take to the track for the first time this weekend, and we can't wait!
11:55
Given that Monaco is a unique track on the calendar, it is always interesting to see which teams bring the most new parts. McLaren leads the charge this year, but you can find a full list of the upgrades here.
McLaren leads F1 development charge for Monaco GP with host of upgrades
McLaren has led Formula 1’s development charge by bringing a host of new upgrades to this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
Amid a major regulation overhaul for the 2026 season, the F1 development race is panning out at a relentless rate. Most teams brought their first substantial upgrades to the Miami Grand Prix following an enforced break in April, with Mercedes introducing a big package at the Canadian Grand Prix.
McLaren is bringing the upgrades to Monaco
11:44
If you weren't following Thursday's 'media day' offerings, we'll round out a few of the key notes for you.
Firstly, Fernando Alonso offered a bleak warning for Aston Martin's prospects, suggesting the team “probably cannot race” if a quick solution cannot be found to the "random" downshifts he has suffered so far this term.
‘Probably we can’t race’ - Fernando Alonso’s bleak outlook for Aston Martin at F1 Monaco GP
Fernando Alonso has suggested that the Aston Martin Formula 1 team may not be able to race in this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix due to a gearbox problem.
Having fixed a Honda-engine related reliability problem that sent painful vibrations into the Aston Martin drivers' hands during the opening rounds of the season, a new urgent issue has been uncovered on the AMR26.
Alonso is worried whether Aston can even race
11:35
Hello from Monaco!
Good morning and welcome to Monaco for Friday practice on the hallowed streets. Whether you like the Sunday action or not, we can all agree that qualifying here is the greatest session of the season, and single-lap pace will be the sole focus for teams today.