Monaco GP: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc takes pole despite crash in last-lap
May 22, 2021
Quai Antoine [Monaco], May 22 : Ferrari Formula One driver Charles Leclerc on Saturday took a sensational pole position in the Monaco Grand Prix despite crashing on his final lap.
The Monegasque put together the fastest lap of the weekend with his first run in Q3 but pushed a little too hard on his second run, clipping the Armco as he turned into the chicane, which broke his front suspension sending him across the kerb and into the barrier on the other side.
That incident brought out the red flag with less than a minute to go, ending the session prematurely and preventing anyone - including Max Verstappen who was purple in sector one - from completing their final lap.
As a result, Leclerc held onto pole, Ferrari's first since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, making him the first Monegasque on pole in Monaco since Louis Chiron (whom Leclerc's helmet for this weekend is dedicated to) in 1936. This was an eight-pole position for Leclerc and was his first at his home.
However, it remains unclear how significant the damage is to his Ferrari and whether or not he will incur grid penalties for the changing of parts.
Verstappen ended up second, in what is his first front row in Monaco, with Valtteri Bottas the leading Mercedes and completing the top three.
Reigning world champion and championship leader Lewis Hamilton ended up down in seventh, starting outside the top six for the first time since the 2018 German Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz, who was one of the drivers who had to abort following his team mate's crash, was fourth - his highest grid slot in the Principality. However, it is the first time he has been outqualified by a team mate around the streets of Monaco.
