2023 Monaco Grand Prix: Verstappen Claims Pole Position
Leclerc Leads Early, Verstappen Prevails
Monaco, May 28, 2023
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing claimed pole position for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, a thrilling qualifying session that saw several twists and turns. Local hero Charles Leclerc of Ferrari initially set the pace, but Verstappen delivered a stunning lap towards the end to secure his first pole at the iconic street circuit.
Leclerc had led the timesheets for much of the session, but a red flag caused by a crash from Sergio Perez disrupted the qualifying process. Upon the restart, Verstappen seized the opportunity and posted a blistering time of 1:12.909, edging out Leclerc by a mere 0.028 seconds.
Behind the top two, Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari secured third place, followed by Sergio Perez in fourth for Red Bull. Lando Norris of McLaren will start fifth ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, while Alpine's Fernando Alonso will line up seventh.
The Monaco Grand Prix is notorious for its unforgiving nature, and the qualifying session provided a glimpse of the challenges that await the drivers. Several incidents occurred, including a collision between George Russell of Mercedes and Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo, as well as a heavy crash for Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri.
With the qualifying order set, all eyes will now turn to Sunday's race. Verstappen will be the favorite to extend his championship lead, but the narrow streets of Monaco provide ample opportunity for upsets. Leclerc, in particular, will be determined to shine in front of his home crowd and add another Monaco victory to his resume.
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