Hamilton insists Ferrari still has 'performance to be found' at Monaco despite topping FP2

Lewis Hamilton topped Friday's second practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix but maintained that Ferrari still has "performance to be found" if he is to secure his first pole for the Scuderia and his first in the Principality since 2019. The seven-time champion recovered from trailing teammate Charles Leclerc in FP1 to lead FP2 by 0.111 seconds, yet he heads into Saturday knowing that a lurking Max Verstappen and the unforgiving nature of Monte Carlo's streets mean nothing is guaranteed.

Why it matters:

• Monaco pole position is one of the most prestigious achievements in Formula 1, and Hamilton is chasing his first here since his Mercedes heyday while simultaneously hunting for his maiden front-row start for Ferrari.
• His Friday performance marked the first time he had topped the second Friday practice session since the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, an encouraging sign that his adaptation to the SF-26 is gathering momentum.
• With Verstappen finishing less than a tenth behind, the qualifying shootout is shaping up to be a three-way fight that could be decided by mere hundredths of a second.

The details:

• Hamilton was second to Leclerc in FP1 but reversed the order in FP2, setting the benchmark at 0.111s clear of his Monegasque teammate to end the day as fastest.
• Max Verstappen kept his Red Bull within striking distance, ending the session under 0.1s adrift of Hamilton's best effort despite recent speculation about RB21 struggles.
• Hamilton praised Ferrari's execution between sessions, noting the team worked through its program without major issues and that the car felt strong from the first laps.
• The Briton emphasized the unique demands of Monaco, explaining that the bumps and close proximity of the barriers make finding the right balance exceptionally challenging.
• He revealed that overnight preparations would focus heavily on fine-tuning details, stating the margins are "very small" and there is "plenty of work to do" before qualifying.

What's next:

• Saturday's qualifying session will determine whether Hamilton can convert his encouraging Friday into a first Ferrari pole, a result that would underline his growing comfort with the team's philosophy.
• Ferrari faces a busy evening of data crunching and setup optimization to extract the extra lap time Hamilton has identified in the SF-26.
• Leclerc, a Monaco native with two home victories to his name, will be desperate to deny his teammate and claim pole on the streets where he grew up, adding an intriguing intra-team dynamic to the fight for top spot.

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