Sergio Perez, Red Bull, Monaco, 2022

Perez narrowly beats Leclerc in final practice at Monaco

2022 Monaco Grand Prix third practice

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Sergio Perez ended Charles Leclerc’s run on top of the practice times in Monaco ahead of today’s crucial qualifying session.

The pair were separated by four hundredths of a second at the end of the final hour of practice around the Monte Carlo street circuit. Carlos Sainz Jnr was third fastest, with Max Verstappen fourth in the second Red Bull.

For the third session in a row, clear blue skies greeted the drivers as the track opened for the final hour of running before qualifying, with ambient temperatures in the mid-20C range and slowly rising. Despite being the final opportunity to prepare their cars for the most crucial qualifying session of the season, many of the teams were no rush to get out onto the circuit in the opening minutes.

Fernando Alonso set the initial pace with a 1’15.809 on the soft tyres – well off the benchmark set by Leclerc yesterday – before he improved by over a second to a 1’14.757. Eventually, the two Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz joined the circuit, with Leclerc jumping to the top of the times on a 1’13.647. Verstappen then split the two Ferraris, a few hundredths behind his championship rival.

Perez then lowered the fastest time on a 1’13.297, which was then matched exactly by Leclerc by the nearest thousandth of a second. Leclerc then improved to go quickest of all, lowering the best time to a 1’12.885.

As with on Friday, Sainte Devote was proving the most difficult area of the circuit. Lando Norris bailed out of a lap after locking up approaching the first corner, before Lance Stroll did the same moments later with Sainz making a near identical error not long after. Lewis Hamilton brushed the wall lightly on the exit of Tabac, but was able to continue with no harm done.

Traffic was also a major concern once again in the final hour. Sainz was involved in two incidents, first allegedly impeding Stroll into the final corner of Anthony Noghes, before a scary incident approaching Casino Square left Sebastian Vettel audibly unhappy at having to avoid the slow Ferrari. The stewards have announced Sainz’s incident with Stroll is under investigation along with another between Verstappen and Zhou Guanyu.

Verstappen improved to go second quickest, just over three tenths off from Leclerc’s best, before Sainz went fastest of all ahead of the pair of them. Stroll’s eventful session ended at the exit of the Swimming Pool when he hit the outside barrier. He was able to safely recover to the pits, but did not re-emerge.

Heading into the final ten minutes, times were again improving at the top of the times sheets. Leclerc re-took the top spot, until Perez improved to go quickest. Leclerc jumped back to the top on his next effort, before Perez improved to take the number one spot a second time from the Ferrari.

At the chequered flag flew to end practice, Perez ended the session fastest of all to break Leclerc’s run of quickest times. Sainz was third, three tenths away from Perez, with Verstappen fourth fastest and four tenths back.

Pierre Gasly put AlphaTauri fifth over seven tenths back, just ahead of Norris and Hamilton in the first of the Mercedes. The top ten positions were rounded out by Kevin Magnussen, George Russell and Fernando Alonso.

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2022 Monaco Grand Prix third practice result

PositionNumberDriverTeamModelTimeGapLaps
111Sergio PerezRed BullRB181’12.47625
216Charles LeclercFerrariF1-751’12.517-0.13926
355Carlos Sainz JnrFerrariF1-751’12.8460.19026
41Max VerstappenRed BullRB181’12.8810.22527
510Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri-Red BullAT031’13.2100.55420
64Lando NorrisMcLaren-MercedesMCL361’13.2260.57017
744Lewis HamiltonMercedesW131’13.3750.71924
820Kevin MagnussenHaas-FerrariVF-221’13.4360.78022
963George RussellMercedesW131’13.4760.82024
1014Fernando AlonsoAlpine-RenaultA5221’13.5850.92921
1122Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri-Red BullAT031’13.6450.98923
1247Mick SchumacherHaas-FerrariVF-221’13.8271.17124
135Sebastian VettelAston Martin-MercedesAMR221’13.8381.18226
1477Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo-FerrariC421’13.8491.19323
1523Alexander AlbonWilliams-MercedesFW441’13.8821.22620
163Daniel RicciardoMcLaren-MercedesMCL361’14.1041.44827
1731Esteban OconAlpine-RenaultA5221’14.2601.60420
1818Lance StrollAston Martin-MercedesAMR221’14.6391.98320
1924Zhou GuanyuAlfa Romeo-FerrariC421’14.8612.20523
206Nicholas LatifiWilliams-MercedesFW441’14.9102.25424

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2022 Monaco Grand Prix complete practice results

PositionNumberDriverTeamFP1 timeFP2 timeFP3 timeGapLaps
111Sergio PerezRed Bull1’14.5701’13.0351’12.47686
216Charles LeclercFerrari1’14.5311’12.6561’12.517-0.13985
355Carlos Sainz JnrFerrari1’14.6011’12.7001’12.8460.04486
41Max VerstappenRed Bull1’14.7121’13.1031’12.8810.22586
510Pierre GaslyAlphaTauri-Red Bull1’15.0831’13.6361’13.2100.55485
64Lando NorrisMcLaren-Mercedes1’15.0561’13.2941’13.2260.57072
744Lewis HamiltonMercedes1’15.4991’14.2671’13.3750.71982
863George RussellMercedes1’15.2111’13.4061’13.4760.75089
920Kevin MagnussenHaas-Ferrari1’15.8061’14.2391’13.4360.78083
1014Fernando AlonsoAlpine-Renault1’15.7491’13.9121’13.5850.92980
1122Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri-Red Bull1’15.5361’14.1341’13.6450.98986
1247Mick SchumacherHaas-Ferrari1’18.6361’14.8941’13.8271.17168
135Sebastian VettelAston Martin-Mercedes1’15.3871’14.0591’13.8381.18290
1477Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo-FerrariNo time1’14.4681’13.8491.19353
1523Alexander AlbonWilliams-Mercedes1’16.1101’14.4861’13.8821.22692
163Daniel RicciardoMcLaren-Mercedes1’15.157No time1’14.1041.44862
1731Esteban OconAlpine-Renault1’16.3151’15.2161’14.2601.60477
1824Zhou GuanyuAlfa Romeo-Ferrari1’16.4171’14.5251’14.8611.86972
1918Lance StrollAston Martin-Mercedes1’15.5391’14.6231’14.6391.96775
206Nicholas LatifiWilliams-Mercedes1’17.7141’16.2761’14.9102.25487

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2022 Monaco Grand Prix

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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11 comments on “Perez narrowly beats Leclerc in final practice at Monaco”

  1. Once again, an angry Perez is a fast Perez.

    1. True, but it’s in quali that we’ll see the true performance, even in fp3 times are not at their best.

      1. I think both Max and Charles especially learned the value in not getting even close to the limit in free practice in previous seasons at this track.

  2. 3 0 perez in practice that never happens. He will need a 2 pos gap to max to win. Hopefully max starts p4 would love see Checo Lec Sainz Ves grid we need it.

    1. And verstappen was right to the wall in la piscine and drifting out of the last couple corners. He was not holding back.

  3. Damn it, Checo! It’s not your job to go fastest, but constantly finish one position BEHIND Max! ;)

    1. In FP3 is that no problem;-)

  4. Go Check, payback for last week in qualifying. Or will the team turn down his engine in last sector? Far too early for team orders

    1. These are not RC cars. The team can’t “turn down the engine in the last sector”.

  5. Checo coming in with 14 mins left, changing his rear set up even though he was at the front of the pack, and going yet faster is a sign he and his engineer are in the zone right now.

  6. Well, so far it doesn’t look like a Ferrari-track at all. No.2 is doing an incredible job again stealing Ferrari’s Mojo while No.1 is still celebrating his latest victory in Spain. Previously, MiniMe threatened the World with the Appeal Court if the budget cap is not adjusted to his liking, while Scotty is on fire upgrading the car with a Goldmember!

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