Hamilton leads Ferrari one-two in Monaco FP2 as Norris suffers technical issue

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend to top second practice, leading a Ferrari one-two ahead of Charles Leclerc as the Scuderia stamped its authority on the streets of Monte Carlo. Max Verstappen ended the session a close third for Red Bull, while reigning world champion Lando Norris was forced to park his McLaren just ten minutes into the session with an apparent technical issue.\n\n### Why it matters:\nFerrari’s commanding Thursday pace suggests the team has carried strong form into Monaco, a venue where driver confidence and mechanical grip decide the competitive order. For McLaren and Norris, losing nearly a full session is a significant setback at a circuit where qualifying position dictates the race, making any unresolved mechanical question heading into Saturday a serious concern.\n\n### The details:\n* Hamilton set a benchmark of 1m13.026s on soft tyres, 0.111s ahead of Leclerc to give Ferrari a comfortable one-two.\n* Verstappen was third and only 0.168s off Hamilton, a marked improvement from FP1 after a strong qualifying simulation.\n* Mercedes filled fourth and fifth, Russell leading rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, though Russell lost time in traffic on his soft-tyre lap.\n* Isack Hadjar recovered from his FP1 crash to finish an encouraging sixth for Racing Bulls after his car was repaired just in time.\n* Norris’s session ended early when his McLaren suffered a downshifting issue under braking exiting the tunnel, forcing him to stop near the Nouvelle Chicane and triggering a virtual safety car.\n* McLaren CEO Zak Brown said the team would investigate the unspecified problem ahead of Saturday’s running.\n* A late red flag ended meaningful action when Sergio Perez stopped his Cadillac at Casino Square with smoke pouring from the front-right brake.\n* Oscar Piastri was seventh but brushed the barriers at Portier, while Franco Colapinto clipped the wall at Sainte Devote and Lance Stroll endured multiple lock-ups.\n\n### What’s next:\nThe field returns for third practice on Saturday morning ahead of crucial qualifying. Ferrari will aim to convert its Thursday pace into a front-row lockout, while McLaren faces a race against time to fix Norris’s issue before final practice at a venue where overtaking is virtually impossible.