The first free practice session of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix ended with a lot of activity off the track. FIA stewards summoned four drivers for clarification after incidents recorded during FP1, with Charles Leclerc and Arvid Lindblad among those investigated.
Read more F1: Marko sees Leclerc as main candidate for pole and victory in Monaco
This situation draws attention especially because it involves Leclerc in his home race. The Ferrari driver had already been targeted by an FIA action the day before and now his name is once again linked to an investigation during the weekend in the Principality.
According to the stewards, Lindblad is suspected of having impeded Oscar Piastri during the session. Leclerc was summoned for clarification regarding an alleged impediment to Liam Lawson, Lindblad’s teammate at Racing Bulls.
All involved were summoned by the stewards, and the details of the episodes will still be analyzed by race control. The summoning of drivers does not automatically represent a penalty, but opens an investigation process to determine if there was an infraction during track activities.
For Leclerc, this is the second occurrence involving the stewards in a few days. On Thursday, the Monegasque received a suspended fine for being late to the press conference organized by the FIA.
Read more F1: Mercedes is fined after Russell’s infringement in FP1 in Monaco
In addition to the investigations involving the drivers, Mercedes was also penalized after FP1. The team received a fine of 100 euros because George Russell exceeded the speed limit in the pit lane. According to the official record, the Briton exceeded the permitted mark by only 0.3 km/h.
Even with these disciplinary issues, Leclerc had reasons to celebrate on the track. The Ferrari driver ended FP1 in the lead by setting the best time of the session with 1min13s9.
His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, took second place, approximately two tenths behind the leader. Max Verstappen completed the top three, but finished the session with a difference of more than half a second compared to Leclerc’s time.
Read more F1: Leclerc is warned after blocking Lawson in Monaco GP FP1
