Event: Monaco F1 Grand Prix
Track: Monaco Circuit

Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14 during the Monaco GP at Circuit de Monaco

Weather: dry  27°C
Tarmac: dry  45°C
Humidity: 34%
Wind: 1 km/h E
Pressure: 1017 bar

In a session of highs and lows, the third free practice session for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix presented a spectacle for the fans and teams alike.

The session began with a quiet pit lane as the teams readied themselves for the crucial hour of qualifying preparation. Mercedes, having undergone significant changes to their car, were under the microscope as they debuted a new front wishbone structure, altered floor, and sidepods that markedly diverged from their previous sleek design. Despite the alterations, Lewis Hamilton appeared comfortable in the new-look vehicle and was optimistic about the data gathered.

Red Bull, on the other hand, had their strengths somewhat neutralized by the Monaco circuit’s limited reliance on the Drag Reduction System (DRS). However, both drivers, including last year’s winner Sergio Perez, maintained a cautious optimism regarding the track’s compatibility with their car.

Early in the session, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon faced a setback as his vehicle suffered a suspected mechanical failure, bringing the Frenchman’s car to a halt in the tunnel and leaving the team with a potential issue to diagnose. Despite the setback, the session quickly resumed, with Sergio Perez setting the pace on the soft tyres. The Red Bull driver led the timing sheets with a lap of 1m 14.990s.

As the session reached its halfway mark, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc voiced concerns over his car’s performance. The Monegasque driver was battling a twitchy vehicle, particularly apparent in the Swimming Pool chicane section. However, Leclerc’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, and the Red Bull duo continued to set the pace, leading to a thrilling battle at the top of the timesheets.

Halfway the session all drivers had put in some laps on the soft compound tyres. The top 10 order at that ,moment was:

1. Max Verstappen – 1:12.989
2. Sergio Pérez +0.391
3. Carlos Sainz +0.481
4. Charles Leclerc +0.577
5. Lewis Hamilton +0.654
6. Fernando Alonso +0.799
7. Esteban Ocon +1.085
8. George Russell +1.107
9. Lance Stroll +1.479
10. Valtteri Bottas +1.491

The final quarter of the session was characterized by an increased sense of urgency as drivers began setting off for fast laps. Traffic became an issue, with both Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen aborting their runs due to congestion. Despite this, Lando Norris managed to secure a fifth-place slot, and Lance Stroll improved to third following some suspension adjustments.

The session took a dramatic turn towards the end when Lewis Hamilton crashed his Mercedes at Mirabeau. A snap on corner entry led to a collision with the barriers, resulting in the deployment of the red flags. The incident left Hamilton’s car requiring a new front wing at the very least.

Haas’ Kevin Magnussen also encountered difficulties, reporting a lack of power before his car came to a halt at Portier. The marshals’ swift response ensured the car was quickly moved off the track, allowing the session to continue.

With qualifying on the horizon, the teams will undoubtedly analyze the data collected during this session to fine-tune their cars and strategies. The question of who will take pole position remains open, adding to the excitement of the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix weekend

The fastest sector times were:
Sector 1: 18.947 sec. by Hamilton
Sector 2: 34.276 sec. by Stroll
Sector 3: 19.296 sec. by Pérez

Last year’s quickest lap time in FP3 was a 1:12,476 min, driven by Sergio Pérez in the Red Bull RB18.

FP3 Times Table 2023 Monaco GP

P	No	Driver	Team	Time	1st Gap	Laps	Tyres
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:12,776		19	S
2	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull	1:12,849	+0,073s	24	S
3	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:12,942	+0,166s	20	S
4	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:13,261	+0,485s	20	S
5	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:13,396	+0,620s	21	S
6	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1:13,453	+0,677s	24	S
7	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:13,475	+0,699s	19	S
8	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:13,486	+0,710s	17	S
9	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1:13,496	+0,720s	18	S
10	77	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo	1:13,521	+0,745s	20	S
11	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1:13,590	+0,814s	18	S
12	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	1:13,624	+0,848s	13	S
13	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas	1:13,650	+0,874s	16	S
14	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:13,697	+0,921s	18	S
15	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	1:13,738	+0,962s	21	S
16	24	Zhou Guanyu	Alfa Romeo	1:13,772	+0,996s	20	S
17	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams	1:13,851	+1,075s	19	S
18	23	Alex Albon	Williams	1:13,930	+1,154s	23	S
19	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:13,998	+1,222s	18	S
20	21	Nyck de Vries	AlphaTauri	1:14,187	+1,411s	24	S

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