After Ferrari set the pace on Friday, Mercedes struck back on Saturday morning in Monte Carlo. Andrea Kimi Antonelli topped the third and final practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix with a lap of 1:12.720, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes shows impressive improvement in pace
Ferrari once again began the session among the frontrunners. Leclerc moved to the top of the timesheets in the opening stages before Hamilton briefly put the Italian team in front. The picture soon changed, however, as track conditions improved and rivals such as Lando Norris, George Russell and Antonelli found more pace.
The championship leader hit his stride during the first half of the session and moved to the top of the standings. From there, the Italian strengthened his position with a series of consistent fast laps, gradually extending his advantage over the field.
Although Ferrari did not enjoy the same dominance it showed on Friday, the Scuderia remained firmly in contention. Leclerc and Hamilton stayed within touching distance of Mercedes throughout the session, underlining the team’s potential heading into qualifying and Sunday’s race around the streets of the Principality.
Minor accidents to finish FP3 in Monaco
The closing stages also featured a number of incidents. Liam Lawson narrowly avoided a spin through the Swimming Pool section, while Franco Colapinto lightly brushed the barriers at both the Hairpin and Sainte Dévote. Around 15 minutes from the end, Oliver Bearman crashed at Massenet while attempting to make room for Russell, bringing out a red flag that halted the session for approximately ten minutes.
Before the interruption, Antonelli had already increased his advantage at the top of the timesheets. Hamilton briefly reduced the gap in the final minutes, but the Mercedes driver responded immediately to secure the fastest lap of the session.
The result leaves Mercedes and Ferrari separated by only a few tenths heading into qualifying, setting the stage for a closely fought battle for pole position on one of Formula 1’s most demanding circuits.
