The track looked empty at the start of FP3 as most drivers opted to stay in the garage. Lawson reported the low grip on the track, a phenomenon we’ve come to expect in recent years at Monaco, with significant track evolution during qualifying.
Most drivers only came out around 20 minutes into the session, just as a yellow flag was brought out due to Hulkenberg missing the final turn and having to reverse back onto the circuit.
All eyes turned to Ferrari to see whether the pace they showed on Friday was genuine or just the result of running with turned-up engines. Cameras deliberately followed Charles Leclerc, in particular, as his lack of fortune around the streets he grew up on has become something of a running joke over the years. Seeing both drivers steadily inside the top five during the first half of the session brought cautious optimism to the faces of the tifosi in the grandstands.
Bortoleto asked the team to check his car after he clipped the barrier with his front left midway through the session. At the same time, Hadjar had a moment in the tunnel as Tsunoda was going too slow in front of him.
Traffic once again proved to be one of the main issues around the narrow streets of Monaco, with many close calls — such as between Hamilton and Sainz, Bearman and Colapinto, or Stroll and Norris. Norris in particular wasn’t very happy about the last one, expressing his frustration over the team radio.
Despite the traffic, all drivers came out for their qualifying simulations with just a few minutes left on the clock. The fastest purple sectors bounced back and forth between Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren drivers.
Ultimately, Leclerc secured the virtual pole position of the session before Hamilton, caught in the dirty air of two slower cars ahead, crashed into the wall. No team wants to see their car damaged at the end of FP3 — especially not just before qualifying, and especially not in Monaco. Hopefully, this one won’t be too costy, and the suspension will be okay.
The session ended under a red flag, with Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris occupying the top three spots. That’s three out of three for Leclerc so far this weekend — with all eyes now turned to qualifying.