Lando Norris smashes Monaco lap record as Lewis Hamilton faces investigation

Lando Norris broke the Circuit de Monaco lap record to claim a huge pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix. 

The Briton completed a remarkable three hot laps in the final part of qualifying, to deny Charles Leclerc yet another home pole. 

Norris set a staggering 1m 09.954, with Leclerc having to settle for second. Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen completed the top five.

It was a disastrous qualifying for Mercedes, as Kimi Antonelli crashed in Q1 and will provisionally start from 15th, whilst George Russell ground to a halt in Q2 and will start provisionally in 14th.

Hamilton faces a nervous wait following qualifying, with him to be investigated for impeding Verstappen at Massenet in the opening part of the session.

Report continues below!

Q3 - Norris breaks home hearts

Despite Leclerc having dominated all practice sessions and Q1, it was Q2 pace setter Norris on provisional pole. 

Norris' opening lap was a 1m 10.464, just 0.067s faster than Piastri. Home boy Leclerc was third following his first hot lap in Q3 and had almost two-tenths to find. It appeared to be a three-way pole fight.

The McLarens were the first to set their next Q3 laps, with significant lap time having been found by both Norris and Piastri. Both drivers found three-tenths, yet it remained Norris on top with a 1m 10.125. 

Piastri was just 0.015s adrift, putting all eyes on the Ferraris and Verstappen to attack Norris' lap time. Hamilton improved, but was over two-tenths behind, whilst Verstappen failed to improve.

However, Leclerc found huge amounts of time on his final lap, to snatch provisional pole. It seemed like it was going to be delight for Monaco, but Norris' tyres still had enough life for one more lap. 

It was a mesmerising lap by Norris, who found yet more time to claim pole and set a lap record.

Q2 - Double Mercedes misery; Tsunoda out

The second part of qualifying was delayed following Antonelli's crash at the end of Q1, with him, obviously, being unable to compete in Q2. 

When it finally got underway, there was a variety in tyre choice between the C6 softs and the C5 mediums, a much bigger split than in the beginning of Q1.

However, a second red flag was required in the opening minutes after Russell came to a halt. The Briton hit the kerb at the first corner which caused him to lose all power.

Once it resumed, both Ferraris had switched to the softs, although a mixture remained. By the closing minutes, it was Isack Hadjar, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon at risk, with both Mercedes drivers being out. 

Tsunoda was also in danger ahead of his final Q2 lap, having been only 0.003s faster than Hadjar. The track suddenly ramped up in the closing seconds, with Hadjar and Ocon having propelled themselves into the top 10. 

Unfortunately, it saw Carlos Sainz eliminated in 11th but also Red Bull's Tsunoda, as was Hulkenberg. Norris topped the second part of qualifying, ahead of Leclerc and Albon.

Q1 - Crucial Antonelli crash

As qualifying got underway, everyone opted for the softs from the get-go, with the exception of both Alpines who went for the mediums before later switching to the softs. 

Lance Stroll was placed under investigation for impeding Pierre Gasly, who furiously complained of the Aston Martin driver's "shocking" driving. Hamilton was also placed under investigation for impeding Verstappen.

Stroll found himself in 19th ahead of the final hot laps in Q1, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Alonso, Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto having joined him.

Alonso was the only driver to escape the drop zone following a late improvement; however, a crucial crash for Antonelli at the Nouvelle chicane red-flagged the session prior to the majority of final laps being completed. 

Bortoleto had to settle for 16th, ahead of Bearman who qualified in 17th but has a 10-place grid penalty, Pierre Gasly, Stroll and Colapinto.

Leclerc topped the first part of qualifying, ahead of both McLarens.