It's Qualifying Day on the streets of Monte Carlo as Formula One sets the grid for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc, the Monaco native who won last year's race, enters after a setting the best course time in Friday practice.

Yet after seven rounds, Piastri still has a 13-point lead in the world championship.

All drivers will have to run three sets of tyres in the 78-lap race on Sunday, making two pit-stops effectively mandatory – unless there is a red flag, like last year.

Verstappen struggled to go quicker on the soft C6 compound than on his C5 medium tyre.

"Qualifying is going to be fundamental around here and we've got to be starting in front if we want to hope for a good result."