GET READY for light's out in Monte Carlo as the Monaco Grand Prix starts TODAY.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc starts on the front of the grid after a superb performance in qualifying, while Driver's Championship leader Lewis Hamilton is back in seventh.
- TV CHANNEL: Sky Sports F1
- LIVE STREAM: Now TV
- START TIME: Monaco Grand Prix – 2pm
BETTING SPECIAL – GET HAMILTON TO FINISH ON THE PODIUM AT 20/1
Follow all the action from Monte Carlo in our live blog below…
- Joe Brophy
BOX TO BOX
Ferrari have revealed that Charles Leclerc's gearbox showed "no serious damage" following his crash during Monaco GP qualifying.
- Joe Brophy
DAN IN THE DUMPS
Daniel Ricciardo has given his verdict on his Q2 exit yesterday.
Asked by reporters if he knew why he had so little pace, he replied: “No. It’s more confusing than frustrating at the moment. I would say that’s the emotion.
“Sure, this year there are some laps where I’ve said ‘oh, that was a little bit messy’, and I understand maybe why I’m a few tenths off, but I was kind of a second off the whole weekend.
“A second is an eternity and I don’t really have an answer for that. You could explain maybe a couple of tenths, but especially around here…I don’t feel like I’ve forgotten how to drive this track.
“Even in Q1 I crossed the line feeling like I’d done a good lap and I think I was 1.2 [seconds] slower than Lando at that stage, so I’ve been doing this long enough to know that’s…you know when you are a second off and I didn’t feel like it.
“I also don’t want to say there are excuses, but there is definitely something we obviously have to try and dig a little deeper to find out.”
- Joe Brophy
LOSING FAITH
Lando Norrris believes new McLaren team-mate Daniel Ricciardo is suffering from low confidence as he struggles in F1 this year.
Australian Ricciardo suffered his worst Monaco qualifying since 2013.
And Norris told a press conference before Sunday's Monaco GP: “Daniel is very, very fast when he has a car around him, and when everything’s suited.
“But as soon as there’s a couple of problems, just as most drivers do, he tends to lose that bit of confidence.
“Then you just struggle a little bit more. I don’t think that’s just with him.
"That’s just something that some drivers have more than others. It’s a confidence thing.
"From what I’ve seen so far, he wants a car that really suits him, maybe that little bit more."
- James Orr
RACE DAY
Roll up, roll up…raceday is here!
Can Lewis Hamilton fight back from SEVENTH on the grid to pull off a shock win?
Or will it be Charles Leclerc on pole to dominate Monte Carlo?
We'll be bringing you all of the latest updates and build up right here…
- Ben Hunt
LECLERC IS ON POLE
- Ben Hunt
PAIN FOR VERSTAPPEN
- Ben Hunt
RED FLAG LECLERC HAS CRASHED – BUT HE IS ON POLE
Huge drama as the Ferrari man, who was already on provisional pole, crashed at the end of his lap.
He takes pole, as the session is stopped with just 18 seconds to go after crashing at the swimming pool section.
It means Verstappen and Bottas are unable to better their lap times when they were on flying laps.
- Ben Hunt
HAMILTON IN TROUBLE
He hits the barriers on his flying lap. He is still going but his time is down.
- Ben Hunt
VERSTAPPEN FAILS TO BETTER HIS LAP TIME
However, there is still time. 1m 30sec to go. Track is getting very busy.
- Ben Hunt
WOW LECLERC TAKES PROVISOINAL POLE FROM VERSTAPPEN
This is heating up as the two trade places.
- Ben Hunt
Q3 IS GO. CAN HAMILTON FIGHT BACK OR IS THIS MAX VERSUS THE FERRARIS?
Verstappen takes provisional pole with a time of 1:10.576. Bottas was just 0.060 seconds slower.
This is going to be close. Ferrari yet to show their hand.
- Ben Hunt
ELIMINATED FROM Q2
Ocon, Stroll, Raikkonen and Russell are also out of the top 10 shootout. Antonio Giovinazzi is through.
- Ben Hunt
RICCIARDO IS OUT
The Australian is out of Q2. He is in 12th after failing to get into the top 10 shoot out.
That is very disappointing for the former Monaco GP winner, who has been out-shone by his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris.
- Ben Hunt
MERC STILL OFF THE PACE
Bottas in P4 and Hamilton in P6. Could be a miserable result for the Silver Arrows.
- Ben Hunt
IN THE DROP ZONE
Giovinazzi, Stroll, Ocon, Raikkonen and Russell. Can the Brit make it in to Q3?
- Ben Hunt
LANDO NORRIS IS FLYING
He has just put his McLaren in second, between the two Ferraris. That was a great lap from the Brit.
- Ben Hunt
FIRST RUNS IN Q2 AND FERRARI LEAD
It is Sainz ahead of Leclerc. Verstappen is in P3 and Hamilton P4.
- Ben Hunt
Q2 IS GO – GREEN LIGHT IN THE PITLANE
The session is live as George Russell looks to reach Q3 for the first time in his Williams. That would be a huge achievement.
- Ben Hunt
WORLD CHAMPION FERNANDO ALONSO OUT IN Q1
The two-time world champion is OUT at the first hurdle. He joins Schumacher, Mazepin, Latifi and Tsunoda in the TV pen after failing to reach Q2.
- Ben Hunt
IN THE DROP ZONE FOR Q1
Mazepin, Latifi, Ocon and Alonso are in the bottom five. Mick Schuamcher will not take part in quali as he busted his Haas in Q3.
The German will start in last place having been given permission to start the race.
- Ben Hunt
FINALLY A MERC TOPS THE TIME SHEETS
But it is not Hamilton, who is in P7, but his teammate, Bottas.
The Finn is quickest ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen.
- Ben Hunt
FERRARI IN THE HUNT
- Ben Hunt
QUALIFYING IS GO FOR THE MONACO GP
Who will be on pole? A six-way shoot out. Mercedes have been on the back foot.
The stage is set for Verstappen to take P1. But will Ferrari have a say in that?
- Ben Hunt
IT IS "GAME OVER FOR MERCEDES"
Scathing verdict from Nico Rosberg, who says "there is not much they can do now. They are stuck and in a corner and I don't hold much hope for them in qualifying ".
Zinger from the former Merc man, who won the title with the team in 2016.
- Ben Hunt
IT IS VERSTAPPEN WHO LEADS THE WAY
Then the two Ferrari drivers as they look in excellent form on the Monte Carlo streets.
But Hamilton goes in to the most important qualifying session of the year in SEVENTH.
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