Championship leader Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time of the weekend so far in the third practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, edging out Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
The 19-year-old Italian clocked a lap of 1:12.720 around the famous street circuit in his Mercedes, with Leclerc 0.327 seconds behind and Hamilton a further 0.004 back in third.
Antonelli arrives in Monaco in brilliant form, having won the last four races and currently leading the championship by 43 points from his British teammate George Russell. It is a far cry from last season, when he finished 18th at the same circuit.
The session was briefly interrupted after Haas driver Oliver Bearman lost control at Massenet corner and clattered into the barriers, causing significant damage to his rear wing. “I just totally lost it on the bump, so sorry,” the Briton told his team over the radio.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris, who had been hampered by an electrical failure during Friday’s second practice session, managed to get some running time on Saturday and ended up ninth fastest.
McLaren worked through the night, breaking the curfew, to replace the wiring harness and battery housing on his car. Race organisers confirmed the team would face no penalty as it was the first of their four permitted curfew exceptions for the 2026 season.
