MONTE CARLO – Lewis HamiltonPlayer·Lewis Hamilton secured a third-place start for the Monaco Grand PrixCompetition·Monaco Grand Prix, but the qualifying session left the FerrariTeam·Ferrari driver questioning the unexpected performance shift of his SF-26. Despite a strong showing in practice, where he topped the second free practice session, Hamilton found his car behaving "drastically different" when it mattered most.
Andrea Kimi AntonelliPlayer·Andrea Kimi Antonelli of MercedesTeam·Mercedes claimed a remarkable pole position, marking his first career pole in Formula 1. Reigning champion Max VerstappenPlayer·Max Verstappen will start alongside him in second, while Hamilton's teammate, Charles LeclercPlayer·Charles Leclerc, will line up fourth for his home race.
"Congratulations to Kimi. Mega, mega drive. To get your first pole position here is special," Lewis Hamilton stated after qualifying. "For us, it was tough. In practice, we looked so strong and we changed almost nothing, but for some reason, the car was drastically different in qualifying, so we need to check what happened."
Hamilton, currently fourth in the 2026 Formula 1 drivers' standings with 72 points, has demonstrated a renewed connection with his FerrariTeam·Ferrari SF-26 this season. He previously shared that part of his "DNA is in the car SF26" and that he feels more connected to it than any car since his dominant years with MercedesTeam·Mercedes. This sentiment was reinforced by his strong performance in Friday's practice sessions, where the SF-26 appeared to be a formidable contender on the demanding Circuit de MonacoVenue·Circuit de Monaco.
"I gave absolutely everything. I was as close to the walls as possible. It was definitely very close," Hamilton added, reflecting on the tight margins of Monaco qualifying. "I thought I had done it, but then Max did his lap, and then Kimi. I think it's good to see how evenly matched the cars are. I think today we lost something, and we need to understand what happened."
This season has seen Hamilton achieve notable results, including a second-place finish at the Canada Grand PrixCompetition·Canada Grand Prix and a third-place podium at the China Grand PrixCompetition·China Grand Prix. His commitment to FerrariTeam·Ferrari extends at least until the end of the 2027 season, and he has spoken of an intense preparation for the 2026 campaign, including a revised approach to data analysis and engineering collaboration. The unexpected drop in performance from practice to qualifying in Monaco presents a new challenge for the team to analyze before Sunday's race.
With Antonelli leading the standings with 131 points, every race is crucial for Hamilton to close the gap. The team will now meticulously review the data to understand the sudden shift in the SF-26's characteristics, hoping to unlock its full potential for the Grand Prix itself.
Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen, and Lewis Hamilton finish 1-2-3 in Monaco F1 qualifying. Icon Sportswire/IMAGO
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