Ferrari expect rain to make ‘half the grid’ contenders for Monaco win

Ferrari expect a wet Monaco Grand Prix and are warning that as much as half the grid could win in those conditions.

Although the red flags brought Q3 to an early end in Monaco and confirmed Charles Leclerc as the polesitter, the home hero’s 1:11.376 was looking a benchmark very difficult to beat, even if Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz did feel that he had the pace to attack that time.

Nonetheless, at a track like Monaco where overtaking is extremely difficult in a Formula 1 car, Ferrari have given themselves a perfect platform for success come race day.

That being said, the first two days of track action have been run in warm and dry conditions, which may be set to change completely for the race, if weather forecasts are to be believed.

It looks to be a given that the temperatures will drop, while some forecasts are indicating that rain will hit the circuit in time for the race.

Ferrari’s racing director Laurent Mekies confirmed that his team does indeed anticipate a wet Monaco Grand Prix, which he believes then brings half of the 20-car field into the conversation to win.

“We expect to see rain tomorrow,” Mekies told Sky Italia.

“We will see. Here the weather changes from one moment to the other. We are ready to face both scenarios.

“A wet Monaco means that half of the grid can win tomorrow. But that’s part of the game. We will try to defend the P1 and P2 until the checkered flag.”

Frustration for Max as he is forced to abort his final flying lap 😖

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Both Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and team boss Christian Horner were united in the view that Leclerc’s pole lap was out of reach, Mekies crediting both of his drivers for taking a “big step forward” to lock-out the front row.

Special praise though of course for Leclerc, Mekies hailing his Q3 efforts as “extraordinary”.

“We are happy for the team,” said Mekies. “It is a particular track,…