Sergio Perez ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in opening practice; Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas fifth and sixth for Mercedes; Watch Formula 1's return to Monaco live only on Sky Sports F1 this weekend
Thursday 20 May 2021 13:47, UK
Sergio Perez enjoyed a confidence-boosting start to his Monaco GP weekend as he set the pace in Practice One for Red Bull.
Perez, who has struggled to replicate his form of 2020 since signing for the Formula 1 title challengers, fitted the softest tyres to post a 1:12.487 and topped his first session of the season - just ahead of Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen as the sport made its big return to the Monte Carlo streets.
Sainz and Verstappen, a tenth of a second off the pace, both set their fastest times on the slower medium tyre.
Sainz was the surprise package of the morning as he shone for Ferrari, although the team did suffer an early blow with Charles Leclerc completing only four laps before heading to the pits with what turned out to be a session-ending gearbox issue for the Monegasque home favourite.
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas were only fifth and sixth as the championship leaders, who have installed Red Bull as the team to beat in Monaco, eased themselves into F1's showpiece weekend.
"Red Bull really do look strong," said Sky F1's Martin Brundle, with Ted Kravitz also reporting that the team had an upgrade package for their RB16B.
Pierre Gasly, also on soft tyres, was fourth for AlphaTauri.
McLaren, sporting a striking new Gulf-inspired livery for the Monaco weekend, placed seventh and 15th through Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, with 2021's third-placed team tinkering with setups in opening practice.
As ever with a Monaco practice session, drivers were flirting with the barriers.
Fernando Alonso and Sainz both had to pit for damage after brushing the walls, which border the famous two-mile circuit that has graced F1 for seventy years.
Hamilton, who leads Verstappen by 14 points in the championship, was adamant coming into the weekend that Red Bull were favourites.
"They're going to be very, very, very hard to beat this weekend because their car is often just well-suited to these shorter circuits," he said.
"I think this weekend it could be like no amount of magic that we do could match the pace they have."
And while Practice One seemed to back up Hamilton's concerns, we certainly haven't seen either team at full tilt yet, on laps without traffic, or head to head against each other on the softest tyres.
Verstappen and Hamilton's best times both came on the mediums, with the Dutchman just over three-tenths faster.
Second practice - which starts at 2pm on Sky F1 - therefore should indicate more of a Monaco pecking order.
Although what P1 did indicate that was Ferrari should be leading the midfield, and may even have a crack on the top four this weekend.
Sainz was quick throughout the opening session and Leclerc, who has been the faster Ferrari for most of the season, likely would have been too without his gearbox glitch.
