Lewis Hamilton 'devastated' after qualifying woes leave him struggling in Monaco

With an angry, despairing shake of the head, Lewis Hamilton realised that his chances in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix were all but extinguished as he limped out of qualifying in a dismal 14th. 

The three-time world champion had been struggling with the tyre set-up of his Mercedes throughout practice but could hardly have expected this abject performance, especially as team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished just 45 thousandths behind pole-sitter Kimi Raikkonen. “I was devastated after the session – to the point where I couldn’t even get out of the car,” Hamilton said.

He had already come within inches of crashing, repeatedly shouting “there’s something wrong” over team radio. Any hopes of reaching the third phase of qualifying were sunk when Stoffel Vandoorne ditched his McLaren amid a hail of debris, bringing out yellow flags that forced Hamilton to abort his final flying lap. In a race where grid position is all-important, Hamilton faces an almost impossible task in chasing his third win in Monte Carlo from so far back. He faces falling further behind Sebastian Vettel, who leads the championship race by six points, after the German qualified second fastest to secure a Ferrari front-row lock-out.

While Hamilton struggles on the Côte d’Azur, Fernando Alonso, his team-mate at McLaren, is far better positioned to complete the second leg of the ‘Triple Crown’ of motorsport. Already a two-time F1 champion, the Spaniard has qualified fifth for the Indianapolis 500, requiring a win at the Brickyard and another in the Le Man 24 Hours in his attempt to become the second driver after Britain’s Graham Hill to accomplish the fabled treble.

Alonso, who has been granted leave by McLaren to pursue his dream, has proved a rapid learner in his adaptation to the demands of oval racing, where average speeds can exceed 230 mph. “I feel ready,” he said. “I’m lacking experience, for sure, because it is my first time with rolling starts and all of these things, but I have worked very, very hard over the past month and I cannot be better prepared than I am.”

Hamilton has expressed little desire to try to emulate the Spaniard. His sole priority, after the chastening blow of losing out to Nico Rosberg last season, is to secure the fourth world title that would draw him level with Vettel and Alain Prost. Another piece of history beckoned him on Saturday, with the possibility of a 65th pole to tie Ayrton Senna, his inspiration as a boy, but his car never looked like co-operating.

“We couldn’t get it right,” Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman, said. “Therefore he had a disastrous qualifying. Bottas’s car was better, very close to second place. With Bottas we’re happy, with Lewis not at all.” A crestfallen Hamilton reflected: “It’s disappointing. It was a little bit unfortunate, with the yellow flag at the end. That lap may have got me into the top 10, but I think I would have struggled to be in the top five. Valtteri’s lap shows that we’re not terrible here, so we need to know what happened.”

It is strange that a team of Mercedes’ sophistication cannot fathom the answer more rapidly. When the technology is working in perfect sync, the Silver Arrows are all but unbeatable, but on these rare off-days they are mystified by their own shortcomings. As team principal Toto Wolff put it: “The car is a bit of a diva.”

Jenson Button, making a one-off return to Formula One while Fernando Alonso competes in the Indianapolis 500, was impressive after six months away from the sport in ninth. Despite those efforts, alas, he will start at the back after McLaren incurred a 15-place grid penalty for making an unscheduled engine change. At the front, Raikkonen was mesmerising, judging the sinuous angles of Monte Carlo to perfection to record his first pole for nine years.

Red Bull, likewise, did not allow the presence of Jose Mourinho in their garage to become a distraction, as Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen showed formidable pace in fourth and fifth, splitting the Mercedes drivers.

Three days after Manchester United’s Europa League triumph, the Portuguese, a long-time motorsport enthusiast, watched from the pit lane while Red Bull – who still have an upgraded Renault engine arriving in Canada next month – closed the gap to both Mercedes and Ferrari, even if Ricciardo claimed that he could have challenged the frontrunners had he not been released in traffic.

2:21PM

Kimi says

"It's the best place to start tomorrow but it doesn't guarantee anything....

"I was very happy with the car. Things worked well and we had a good time. It was quite a nice and straightforward qualifying. I'm happy for myself and for the team."

2:16PM

Our polesitter

2:16PM

Unhappy Hamilton

2:14PM

Provisional grid positions 

Before penalties are taken into consideration 

2:10PM

Well that was eventful

Obviously the biggest news is Hamilton starting 13th, but great runs from the McLaren's to get both cars into Q3. 

Special mentions to Sainz and Perez who will start in sixth and seventh tomorrow. Both drivers' continue to show their obvious talent on a weekly basis. 

2:06PM

Quick note

There are drivers' with penalties so positions from ninth down will change slightly once they are attributed.

2:04PM

Nine years

Raikkonen gets his first pole since 2008 when he led from the front at the French Grand Prix. 

And he still isn't smiling.

2:02PM

Can Mercedes split the Ferraris

Bottas is on his last lap and he's trying to knock Vettel down to third but he can't do it as he goes 0.043 slower than the German. 

It's an all Ferrari front row for the first time this season. 

2:01PM

Who will take pole

All the cars are out on the track and Bottas looks to go faster as they all try to nail their last lap. Vettel seems to los time as he tries to get on that front row. 

The German goes provisional second

2:00PM

Raikkonen riding high

The Finn maintains his lead while going even faster. His teammate Vettel is in fourth. We could have an all-Finnish front row. 

1:59PM

Last few minutes

Bottas goes second with Mercedes best lap of the weekend. Raikkonen still leads but all the cars are out on track and we could have a frantic finish to Q3.

1:57PM

Five minutes left of Q3

Raikkonen is still in the lead and can he out-qualify his teammate for the first time this season? Ricciardo is second ahead of Vettel, Bottas, Verstappen, Perez and Sainz. 

Vandoorne won't be out after his crash and Grosjean and Button are yet to set a lap time. 

1:55PM

Button is out

Everyone's favourite returnee is out on the track. As he said, he's here to enjoy the weekend. 

Will he be happy tomorrow?

1:54PM

Eight minutes of Q3 to go

Raikkonen goes fastest again with Ricciardo, Vettel, Bottas and Verstappen behind him. Perez and Sainz are sixth and seventh, respectively.

Grosjean, Button and Vandoorne are still in the pits and only expected to do one lap each. Both McLaren's have grid penalties to consider. 

1:52PM

The incident that ended Hamilton's day

Vandoorne followed Ocon's lead by murdering his suspension and crashing into the wall at the Swimming Pool (turns 13 to 16) 

1:50PM

Grid positions

With both McLaren's and possibly other cars due to take grid penalties, all positions are provisional right now. 

We have ten minutes to see who will be on the front row in Monte Carlo tomorrow. 

1:49PM

Shocks in Monaco

I asked for excitement but I did not expect this. 

Looks like a straight shootout between the Ferraris and the Red Bull's for pole position and they are out on the track for the top ten showdown. 

1:45PM

How the session ended

1:45PM

End of Q2

The day ends for Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Kevin Magnusson, Daniil Kvyat and Nico Hulkenberg.

1:42PM

Another car off at the Swimming Pool

Vandoorne hits the wall and the yellow flags are out. Another slip at the Swimming pool.

It means Hamilton will miss Q3 as all the cars were forced to slow down after the McLaren crashed. It is likely he will start in 13th after others' penalties are taken into consideration. 

1:40PM

Last minutes

All the cars are out on track except Raikkonen and Vettel so some drivers' may struggle to get their ideal fast lap. 

Hamilton: "I've got to stop. Something is wrong with the car."

Bono: "You're only going to get one more bite of the cherry."

1:38PM

Three minutes of Q2 left

Hulkenberg, Sainz, Magnusson, Hamilton and Massa are the drivers' at risk of ending their day here. 

1:37PM

Kimi leads the pack

Raikkonen is currently the fastest man ahead of Verstappen, Vettel, Bottas and Ricciardo. 

Grosjean is sixth ahead of Vandoorne, Button, Kvyat and Perez. 

In 11th is Hulkenberg, Sainz, Magnusson, Hamilton and Massa. 

There are just over three minutes left. 

1:35PM

Five minutes of Q2 left

The last time Hamilton got into Q3 was in 2013. This weekend is not going to plan and he is back out on the track. 

1:34PM

Happy people 

Vandoorne is having a cracking day so far as he sits in sixth, with Button just behind him. To get into Q3 would be great for the temperamental McLaren's. 

1:33PM

At the back

At the moment Grosjean, Magnusson, Hamilton, Kvyat and Massa will end their day here. 

Hamilton has just said: "There is no grip. Something is not right with the car. Can I come in?!"

1:31PM

Nine minutes of Q1 left

Raikkonen leads from Vettel, Verstappen, Bottas and Ricciardo. 

Hamilton is 13th. Yes, one and three; 13. 

1:30PM

Ferrari at the front

Raikkonen sets the first time with a 1:12.780.

And Hamilton manages to keep the car under control as he nearly crashes into the barrier at Massenet. Great strength to keep the car safe but another lap wasted. 

1:28PM

Not a happy bunny

Someone give him some cake. Cake makes everything better. 

1:27PM

Q2 is underway

So who will make it through to the final qualifying session and can the Mercedes get themselves sorted? They are seriously struggling this weekend. 

1:26PM

At the end of Q1

1:21PM

Yes he can

He goes 12th and knocks out Ocon in the process. It's been a nervy introduction to Monaco for the youngster. 

So the drivers' out at the end of Q1 are Ocon, Palmer, Stroll, Wehrlein and Ericsson. 

1:19PM

Ericsson out!

The driver tells the garage his right rear is broken and his afternoon is over. 

Palmer could only improve one place from 18th to 17th and he is out. 

Grosjean is trying to make the day's second session. Can he do it? 

1:18PM

Last minutes of Q1

No one seems able to improve their time and eight of the top ten are relaxing in the pits as the back markers of Palmer, Wehrlein, Ericsson and Grosjean try to make Q2.

1:15PM

Four minutes of Q1 left

As it stands; Grosjean, Stroll, Palmer, Ericsson and Wehrlein will be ending their day here but there is still time to get themselves into the safe zone. 

1:14PM

Spinning around

Grosjean spins at Mirabeau and he's the wrong way on the track. Sainz was heading towards him but luckily the driver was alert enough to miss him. 

1:13PM

Ferrari versus Red Bull

The lead throughout this Q1 session is being swapped between the two teams and you have to wonder where that leaves Mercedes who have struggled in Monte Carlo so far. 

Verstappen leads from Vettel, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Bottas, Perez, Magnussen, Hamilton, Vandoorne and Kvyat.

Button is 11th followed by Sainz, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Massa, Grosjean, Stroll, Palmer, Ericsson and Wehrlein. 

1:10PM

Ocon back in business

The wonderful Force India team have got Ocon's car ready and he is out on track. 

Palmer looks like he has picked up a puncture and you have to wonder if he will have another miserable weekend. 

1:09PM

Ooh!

Ricciardo sets the pace with a 1:13.219 ahead of Verstappen, Vettel, Bottas, Raikkonen and Perez. Vandoorne is sixth ahead of Kvyat, Hamilton and Button. 

1:08PM

Red Bull ready

Max Verstappen goes fastest with seven minutes gone of the first session. 

Both him and Daniel Ricciardo have looked competitive this weekend. 

1:07PM

We all love Manchester

Lovely touch by Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. In fact, all of F1 have paid tribute to those suffering in Manchester after the events earlier this week. 

1:06PM

Normal service resumed

Sebastian Vettel leads Kimi Raikkonen, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton with 13 minutes left. 

Jenson Button goes fifth. We all hope he has a great race tomorrow. 

1:04PM

Times are being set

Raikkonen has set a 1:14.296 for his first lap, with Vettel 0.065s behind him. 

1:03PM

15 minutes left of Q1

As always, we will lose five cars at the end of the first qualifying session. 

We already have 15 cars out on track, it appears that they want to get their laps in before that track gets too hot to handle. 

1:01PM

And we are off

Vettel is at the front of the pit lane and waiting for the green lights. 

12:58PM

Are you ready?

It's the sixth race weekend of the season and we are about to see who will be on that highly coveted pole position. 

Ferrari have been the pace setters so far this weekend and the Red Bull's updates are clearly working. 

Mercedes will be nervous but they often bring the fire on a Saturday. 

It's a beautiful day and the sun is shining, lets hope we get the perfect set-up for an exciting race tomorrow. 

12:48PM

Look who is here

"I do not care about football for a month."

12:45PM

15 minutes to go...

You know the drill.

Get the snacks in, get comfortable and if your wi-fi is strong enough you can follow us from the garden. 

12:31PM

This is the kerb causing the drama

12:24PM

Then this happened...

The Force India mechanics are doing their best to get Ocon's car ready for qualifying after this incident. 

12:18PM

That dreaded swimming pool

So much has been made about the huge kerb that they have dumped at the Swimming Pool complex. To clarify,  it is the area between turns 13 to 16. The drivers are not happy about it.

Earlier this week, Sergio Perez said: “It is far too big. I don’t think there is a need to have such a big kerb.

“I think the one we had before was big enough and if you hit it it will send you to the wall. So I think this one will probably send you to the grandstand.”

12:15PM

The rumour mill

Apparently, Matt Damon may be doing the post-race podium interview on Sunday. 

Now I love a bit of Bourne, but... 

12:14PM

Here's how they ended the final practice session

12:09PM

Free practice 3

In case you missed this mornings action, here's a little update: 

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel was quickest again in the Saturday morning practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.

The four-time F1 champion ended the hour-long session 0.345 seconds clear of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari one-two.

Just like both of Thursday’s practice sessions, the ultra-soft-dominated practice three provided another fastest-ever lap of the Monte Carlo track, Vettel’s 1:12.395s a three-tenth improvement on his own previous record.

After an initial flood of installation laps in the opening minutes, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was first of the frontrunners to kick off a proper run, the Finn quickly establishing himself at the top of the timesheets.

But compatriot Raikkonen’s first effort dethroned Bottas immediately, the Ferrari man posting a 1:13.568s as Bottas himself then came up 0.053s short.

Despite causing a brief yellow flag as he stopped just short of the barriers at Antony Noghes, Raikkonen lowered the session benchmark further with his next proper effort – a 1:13.379s.

Lewis Hamilton briefly returned Mercedes to the top spot, but was relegated behind the two Ferraris in no time, Vettel now edging ahead of Raikkonen via a 1:12.890s lap.

The other Mercedes of Bottas was shuffled down even further at the conclusion of his first run, with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen and the Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat splitting the two Silver Arrows.

As the session passed its halfway point, Verstappen broke up Ferrari’s one-two at the top of the timing screens, lapping 0.050s off Vettel 12 laps into his ultra-soft stint.

But Ferrari was soon back in formation at the front, Vettel finally beating Thursday’s best lap with a 1:12.558s effort a few seconds after Raikkonen had overtaken him and Verstappen.

Vettel then went even quicker, stringing together three purple sectors for a 1:12.395s – and going just 0.003s slower with his next flying lap.

By that point, Mercedes now had its first sub-1m13s lap of Monaco courtesy of Bottas, who emerged as best of the rest behind the Ferraris heading into the final few minutes.

But the running in what had been a largely incident-free session was then disrupted when Esteban Ocon hit the guardrail on the entry to the Swimming Pool section, damaging his Force India’s right-front suspension and going nose-first into the barriers.

This triggered a virtual safety car as the Force India was removed from the track, leaving less than four minutes for those seeking to do a last-gasp qualifying run.

Improvements were few and far between in the hectic final minutes, leaving Ferrari with a comfortable one-two out front.

Bottas took third ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton, with Daniel Ricciardo in sixth after a suspected brake failure at the chequered flag left him stranded at the escape road at Sainte Devote.

Toro Rosso maintained its strong form from Thursday, Carlos Sainz Jr leading team-mate Kvyat in seventh.

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, who had drawn the ire of Ocon for holding him up in the final sector, was ninth, while McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne made up the top 10.

12:07PM

More McLaren woes

As you may have notice there have been more problems with the dreadful Honda engine and Jenson Button will start from the back of the grid after they had to change several parts. 

12:02PM

Hello

Good afternoon Formula One fans.

Our favourite cars and drivers' are in Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix and I'll be keeping you up to date with all the news from the sunny and beautiful principality. 

11:01AM

Button back of the grid

Morning all. We'll have the latest from qualifying this lunchtime, but already it's not been a happy return for Jenson Button.

The Briton is set to start last for what could be his final Formula One race after being hit with a 15-place grid penalty at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Button, 37, is back on the Formula One grid here in Monte Carlo this weekend following Fernando Alonso's decision to participate at the Indianapolis 500.

McLaren's season has been derailed by a series of problems with their engine supplier Honda. The British team prop up the constructors' championship having failed to score a single point this year.

And following a series of changes to the parts on Button's Honda engine after an issue was detected following second practice at the principality on Thursday, the Englishman is poised to start his one-off race from the back of the pack.

"We have changed Jenson's MGH-U/TC after detecting an issue with his MGU-H after FP2," a Honda spokesperson said ahead of final practice.

"The MGU-H/TC will be Jenson's fifth which means he will receive a 15-place grid penalty for the race."

Button was 12th-fastest in practice on Thursday ahead of the 306th race of his grand prix career.

Double world champion Alonso will be back in the McLaren cockpit for the next round in Canada. The Spaniard will start from fifth for his rookie appearance at the Indy 500 on Sunday.