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The first day of running in the 2024 F1 Monaco GP is now done and dusted and to the surprise of many, there are some very interesting takeaways from the day. The day ended with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets in FP2, followed by Lewis Hamilton in P2.
The fact that Lewis Hamilton was on P1 in Formula One Practice 1 and the Red Bulls did not appear to be as at ease added to the overall intrigue of the event. The F1 Monaco GP tends to be a race weekend where a lot of things that either just fit perfectly or go awry.
The most important part of the weekend will be qualifying because this is not the type of track where you would see many, if any kind of overtaking. With that being said, who is the frontrunner when it comes to qualifying? Let's take a look as we share our predictions for the most important session of the F1 Monaco GP.
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#5 Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo will have an underwhelming session
On the first day of the F1 Monaco GP, neither Sergio Perez nor Daniel Ricciardo looked comfortable in the car. To make things worse, the track layout can be really punishing if the driver can't commit fully.
Neither of the two look entirely confident, and their teammates have been flying at the same time. Expect an underwhelming run from both.
#4 Expect a Mercedes driver to qualify in top 5
Lewis Hamilton's performance and pace turned heads, and George Russell also revealed that he had a steering wheel issue. However, he was still very happy with the car. Mercedes is equipped with two very good drivers, and if even one of them finds the perfect spot, expect a top 5 qualifying effort from either of the two.
#3 Drivers will prove to be a decisive factor
At the F1 Monaco GP, it's all about the feel and the confidence you have in the car. It was simply this that helped Esteban Ocon secure a podium in an Alpine last season at Monaco.
This weekend as well, we're going to see quite a few scenarios where drivers prove to be the ones that make the difference.
#2 Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari will be in contention for pole
If the 2024 F1 season has shown something, then it is the fact that it is never going to be smooth sailing when it comes to the fight for pole. The last few races have seen intense challenges at the front, and even though McLaren and Red Bull have not completely shown their hands, these two teams will be within striking distance of pole position.
The battle for pole is going to come right down to the wire, and the one that executes everything perfectly will triumph.
#1 Charles Leclerc secures pole position for the F1 Monaco GP
We're going with Charles Leclerc as the frontrunner for the pole position at the F1 Monaco GP. It would not be as dominant as we saw on Friday, and there will be competition from Red Bull and McLaren. In the end, however, we do expect Leclerc to come out on top and end Max Verstappen's run of 8 consecutive pole positions.
