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Ahead of today’s sole practice session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees.
Leclerc was quickest in both of yesterday’s sessions, but has played down his chances, even though teammate Hamilton was also looking strong.
McLaren was up there, as one might expect, though, following a couple of incidents, Piastri described his day as “messy”.
Other than Alonso and Albon, the big surprise was the RB pair, Hadjar and Lawson, who out-paced both the Red Bulls.
Both sessions were red-flagged as over-enthusiasm, traffic and the sheer confines of the track, especially considering the size of current cars, continue to be a problem.
Indeed, there were a number of very scary incidents, one involving Hamilton, and this could be the case in qualifying this afternoon and again tomorrow.
Stroll was given a one-place grid drop for silliness, while Berman will drop a whole ten places for overtaking under a red flag.
The lights go green and Lawson leads the way, followed by Hamilton and Hadjar, as Verstappen is a late arrival at his garage.
As more drivers head out most are on hards though Colapinto has opted for softs.
The Argentine posts a 21.905 as Lawson pits for softs. The kiwi subsequently posting a 16.075.
Colapinto improves to 15.852 as the Aston Martin pair head out on mediums.
A 15.171 from Lawson as the majority of drivers remain in their garages.
Ten minutes in and Hadjar is the third driver to post a time (16.182), with Hulkenberg stopping the clock at 14.065 moments later.
As Hulkenberg improves to 13.906 there are still only six times on the board.
Hamilton is the first of the big guns to emerge, as Hadjar improves to 13.965.
A 13.939 sees Hamilton (softs) go second as Norris and Leclerc head out.
“The rear is sliding a lot,” reports Hamilton.
Hulkenberg makes a mistake at Rascasse. “Not sure what happened there,” he admits.
Leclerc posts an exploratory 14.392, as Hamilton improves to 13.415 and Stroll (softs) posts a 13.436.
Norris (softs) goes top with a 12.970 as Lawson improves to fifth with a 13.802.
Leclerc (Softs) goes top with a 12.712 as Verstappen (medium) posts a 13.087 to go third.
The only driver not on track is Alonso, though Sainz, Antonelli and Russell have yet to post times.
A 13.161 sees Tsunoda go fourth.
Norris retakes the top spot with a 12.347 as teammate Piastri goes seventh with a 13.276.
A 12.770 sees Piastri (soft) improve to third as Tsunoda goes fourth with a 12.890.
As Hamilton goes second, Albon improves to fourth with a 12.755 on softs.
Crossing the line at 12.199, Leclerc goes top, but Norris responds with a 12.126.
Verstappen goes quickest in S1, as Alonso goes 14th with a 13.373. Verstappen goes top with an 11.961.
A nasty little moment in the tunnel involving Tsunoda and Hadjar, though Race Control deems no investigation is necessary. “My bad,” admits the Red Bull driver.
An 11.653 from Verstappen as Hamilton posts an 11.876 and teammate Leclerc an 11.532.
The Red Bull driver, remember, is on mediums, both Ferraris on softs.
An 11.233 from Verstappen as Albon goes fourth with an 11.980.
Stroll and Colapinto both causing problems, for Norris and Ocon respectively.
While Verstappen, Leclerc and Norris are covered by 0.370s, fourth-laced Hamilton is a further 0.2s back with the top ten covered by 1.236s.
Hulkenberg improves to seventh with a 12.125, as Bortoleto goes 15th with a 12.777.
“The car is giving me a good feeling,” says Sainz, “I just need to see where I can go quicker.”
Following a brief lull, the qualifying sims are set to begin.
Sainz improves to sixth with an 11.893, his teammate having gone fourth (11.688).
“I’ve got so much instability, I don’t know why,” says Tsunoda.
“A lot of 4-wheel sliding in the last corner,” says Verstappen.
Much like last week the C6 compound is proving a real challenge, quick in the first sector then losing time in the second.
Piastri improves to sixth (11.883), as Alonso, like last week, sticks to mediums.
Lots of greens in the opening sector, but then the pace drops off.
Antonelli improves to ninth and Stroll twelfth, while Norris fails to improve.
Piastri finally goes purple in S2, crossing the line at 11.405 to go second.
Gasly improves to twelfth, 0.961s off the pace.
“People are going for double cools,” Russell is told. “Tell me what you want, because I’ve no idea,” he replies.
Quickest in the final two sectors, Leclerc goers top with an 11.179.
Norris goes third with an 11.247, having been quickest in S2.
Verstappen is clearly frustrated, insisting his tyres are already gone in Turn 1!
Hamilton and his teammate post purples in S1, but the Briton runs into traffic.
As Antonelli goes tenth, Leclerc improves to 10.953, 0.280s up on Verstappen.
Lawson improves to seventh with an 11.814.
On the mediums, Alonso goes twelfth (12.101), as Hamilton hits the barrier at Massenet, bringing out the red flag.
“Sorry guys, hit the wall,” he says as he climbs from his car.
Replay shows he lost it as he rounded the high-speed corner, possibly put off by a slower car ahead.
With 1:29 remaining it is unlikely the session will resume. Indeed, it doesn’t
Leclerc is quickest, ahead of Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Albon, Lawson, Sainz, Tsunoda and Antonelli.
Russell is eleventh, ahead of Alonso, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Stroll, Bearman , Hadjar, Ocon, Bortoleto and Colapinto.
