F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Qualifying

2023 F1 Monaco Grand Prix Qualifying: 5 key takeaways

Max Verstappen will start the 2023 F1 Monaco Grand Prix in pole position after a sensational lap in qualifying. The Red Bull driver would be accompanied by Fernando Alonso on the front row as the Spaniard took out every ounce of performance from his Aston Martin today (May 27).

The qualifying session in the F1 Monaco Grand Prix tends to be the highlight of the weekend and it's safe to say that it delivered one of the best spectacles of the season.

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Having said that, what were the key takeaways from the session? Well, let's take a look.

QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION

And now, breathe.

#MonacoGP #F1

#1 The F1 Monaco Grand Prix deserves a place on the calendar

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Every year we come to the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and every year we hear fans groan at the prospect of a boring race. The track has not changed since its inception but the cars have become huge. As a result, whatever limited opportunities are there for overtaking, the scope becomes even smaller.

Okay, it's hard to argue that the races are processional but it's also hard to argue that the adrenaline rush from watching these beasts tear through the streets to set the best possible lap time cannot be replaced.

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What we saw today was drivers laying it all on the line and producing one stunning lap after the other. There's no replacing this feeling and while the race could prove to be processional again tomorrow, in terms of action, the F1 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying gave the fans all they could handle for the weekend.


#2 We witnessed something brilliant from four elite drivers

Not many fans would be able to decipher what truly happened today in the F1 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying so let's try to put things into perspective. Formula One has been a sport often marred by the stigma of pay drivers or cars proving to be the deciding factors.

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In the last four minutes of qualifying in Monaco, it's safe to say that the cars were almost taken out of the equation. We had four drivers that step by step went ahead and shocked everyone by climbing to the top of the timings.

It all started with Esteban Ocon in an Alpine rising to the top. Then came Charles Leclerc who was followed by Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen.

We witnessed pure skill and ruthless aggression today from some of the elite drivers on this grid and the value of this sporting brilliance needs to be acknowledged.


#3 Mercedes have a lot of soul-searching to do

The F1 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying was a slog for Mercedes and the worn-down face of Toto Wolff said it all after the session.

Today in qualifying we had four drivers from four different cars take provisional pole position and none of those cars was a Mercedes. To be honest, the only time Mercedes was in the spotlight during the session was when Lewis Hamilton was close to getting eliminated in Q1 and Q2.

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The team brought a bunch of upgrades to the track this weekend. It's safe to say that even though this is just the start of a new direction for Mercedes, the team would have been humbled this evening.


#4 Sergio Perez messed up big time!

In essence, Red Bull's Sergio Perez has just thrown away the F1 Monaco Grand Prix weekend with his shambolic qualifying.

There are tracks where you can make mistakes and recover in the race with the help of a safety car or by using superior performance. Unfortunately, the F1 Monaco Grand Prix is not the race, nor does it have the track to make it happen.

Perez will be starting the race at the back of the grid and in all fairness, he has dealt his championship challenge a major blow with this dust-up.

It would take a monumental effort from the Red Bull driver to even score a point on Sunday and unless something shocking happens, he would see a major dent in any championship hopes or aspirations he had.

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#5 Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda deserve a level of applause

Yuki Tsunoda has been doing some brilliant things this season but what has stood out more than anything else is his consistency. The Japanese driver reaching Q3 once again in that AlphaTauri is an appreciable result and the one that should make Red Bull keep a closer eye on him for the future.

For Oscar Piastri, a Q2 exit and losing out to Lando Norris once again could appear disappointing on the surface but in these two days of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, the Australian has shown that there is something special in him. Monaco is a track where Norris dominates his teammates.

Daniel Ricciardo was completely destroyed on this track by Norris in the last two seasons. Looking at the Free Practice timings, a similar pattern was emerging for Oscar as well.

Come F1 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, Oscar flipped the script. The Australian was right on the tail of Norris and was less than a tenth slower. McLaren has two sensational drivers in its ranks. All it needs is a better car to enable them.

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Edited by
Samya Majumdar
 
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