Qualifying Report & Results 2026 Monaco F1 Grand Prix

Event: Monaco F1 Grand Prix
Track: Monaco Circuit

Circuit de Monaco on June 06, 2026 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Content Pool // SI202606060352 // Usage for editorial use only //

Weather: dry  23°C / 73°F
Tarmac: dry  33°C / 92°C
Humidity: 57%
Wind: 4.3 km/h North
Pressure: 1018 mbar

Kimi Antonelli qualified as quickest for the 4th time today in Monte Carlo. The Mercedes driver scored pole position for tomorrow's 2026 Monaco Grand Prix for the first time. It was also the fourth pole of the season for the Italian driver and the 151st pole for the German team.

Antonelli Stuns Monaco With First Monte-Carlo Pole

Kimi Antonelli produced the lap of his young Formula 1 career to claim pole position for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by just 0.043s in a breathless qualifying session around Monte-Carlo. The Mercedes teenager will start from the front for the first time in the Principality, with Verstappen alongside him and locking out the second row through Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli Delivers The Magic Lap

Monaco qualifying rarely deals in comfort, and this one was no exception. Antonelli had already shown serious pace in final practice, but converting that speed into pole around these streets is another matter entirely.

He did it the hard way. Verstappen briefly moved to the top with a superb late lap, going purple in the first and third sectors to put the Red Bull 0.185s clear. Hamilton could not quite match it, Leclerc’s final bid fell apart, and McLaren’s threat faded.

Then came Antonelli.

The Italian did not need a purple sector. Three personal bests were enough to stitch together what he called a “magic lap”, taking pole by 0.043s and underlining why his momentum has become one of the defining stories of the season.

Verstappen Keeps Red Bull In The Fight

Verstappen admitted afterwards that he would gladly have taken a front-row start had it been offered before qualifying. Red Bull had looked competitive rather than dominant through practice, but the Dutchman found exactly the sort of lap Monaco demands when the pressure peaked.

It sets up a fascinating run to Sainte Devote. Antonelli has track position, but Verstappen is rarely a passive passenger when victory is available. With Hamilton and Leclerc directly behind, the opening metres could decide more than just the first stint.

Ferrari Left To Rue A Missed Chance

Ferrari had looked like genuine pole contenders after topping Friday practice, but qualifying slipped away when it mattered most. Hamilton ended up third, only 0.072s clear of Leclerc, after admitting the car felt markedly different from its promising practice form.

For Leclerc, the frustration will be sharper. The home favourite had gone fastest with two minutes remaining after an aggressive strategy call, but his final attempt unravelled. Around Monaco, that is often all it takes. One missed chance, one wall too close, one lap gone.

Russell Struggles As Antonelli Shines

George Russell’s muted session was one of the more striking subplots. While Antonelli put the Mercedes on pole, Russell could manage only sixth, behind Red Bulls’ impressive Isack Hadjar.

Russell had looked uncomfortable throughout the weekend, and the gap to his team-mate will not make easy reading. Monaco is brutally exposing when a driver lacks confidence, and Antonelli currently looks like the Mercedes driver carrying all of it.

McLaren Limited To Fourth Row

McLaren never quite joined the fight for pole. Oscar Piastri qualified seventh ahead of Lando Norris, with the team seemingly half a step away from the leading battle despite Norris showing flashes of pace earlier in the session.

Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson completed the top ten, both making the most of a messy midfield scrap that saw Audi’s promising practice pace disappear when it counted.

Bortoleto Crash Disrupts Q1

Gabriel Bortoleto’s Q1 ended in the barriers at the Nouvelle chicane/"> after he damaged the front suspension, bringing out the red flags with just over two minutes remaining. The Brazilian still progressed to Q2, but did not take part in the second segment.

Q1 proved costly for Esteban Ocon, Sergio Perez, Ollie Bearman, Valtteri Bottas, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, all of whom were eliminated early. In Q2, Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Bortoleto dropped out.

Monaco Sets Up A Serious Sunday Test

Antonelli now has the most valuable starting position in Formula 1, but Monaco never allows anyone to relax. Verstappen is beside him, Ferrari are directly behind, and every safety car, pit stop and tyre call could reshape the race.

Still, this was Antonelli’s day. In the most unforgiving qualifying session of the season, on the sport’s most famous street circuit, the championship leader delivered when it mattered most.

Meta title: Antonelli Claims First Monaco Pole Ahead Of Verstappen

Meta description: Kimi Antonelli grabbed pole for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen as Ferrari locked out the second row in Monte-Carlo.

Quali Times 2026 Monaco F1 GP

The quickest sector times during this second practice session were:

• Sector 1: 18.827 sec by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB22.
• Sector 2: 33.957 sec by Lewis Hamilton with the Ferrari SF-26.
• Sector 3: 19.083 sec by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB22.

Last years pole time was a 1:09.954 min driven by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL40.

✅ Check out our 2026 Monaco F1 Grand Prix Preview.

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

Related topics