Ahead of today's second session the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 32 degrees.

As a reminder, in terms of updates, McLaren has a new Coke/Engine Cover, Front Suspension, Beam Wing, Rear Wing, Rear Corner and Diffuser. Given the specific cooling requirements of this track, a larger engine cover has been brought in order to increase overall cooling capacity while maintaining high aerodynamic efficiency. Also, to deal with the unique corner radii encountered here, revised front suspension fairings allowing for increased clearance to the wheel at high steer angles have been brought. A small revision to the beam wing, will hopefully improve overall flow conditioning and increase aerodynamic efficiency in conjunction with the rear wing, where the removal of the straight mode actuator and circuit characteristic incentivises the addition of local devices to generate additional aerodynamic load. Modification to the rear suspension fairings as well as rear corner furniture are aimed at improved aerodynamic flow conditioning around the rear corner and diffuser, while the addition of a floor stay attached to the diffuser to improve robustness and deflection to maintain aerodynamic performance throughout the speed
range.

At Mercedes, small winglets have added within the rear wing SM fairing volume. These winglets generate local downforce and drag. The lack of SM mechanism, and the low drag sensitivity of Monaco. make these elements attractive.

Red Bull has a new Front Corner, Engine Cover and Rear Wing. The low air speed nature of the circuit demand a larger exit duct for the front brake material and calliper cooling, consequently the suspension fairings and the inner face of the front wheel bodywork have been trimmed to allow greater angles than the minimum requirement of the regulations for the unique nature of the circuit. As is needed for the brakes, the speed profile of the track implies engine cover and sidepod cooling exits need to be opened for Power Unit and Gearbox, while the rear wing has a central extension and the SM mechanism fairing also has an extension both adding beneficial local load to the rear wing, in the absence of Straight Mode operation.

Ferrari has a new Front Suspension, Floor and Diffuser. The Monaco specific front suspension modifications allow for greater single wheel angle that are necessary on this peculiar layout, while, taking the opportunity of the extreme characteristics of Monaco in terms of aerodynamic efficiency requirements, minor aero load generating devices have been added to the floor board and diffuser winglet.

Williams has a new Front Suspension and Exhaust Tailpipe. Continuing the positive development path from the previous two GPs a further step on the exhaust system is available this weekend, which offers an additional loading opportunity at the rear of the car.

Racing Bulls also have a new Front Suspension and Rear Wing. As is the case with all teams, the tight corners here require increased steering range compared to other circuits. The modifications to the suspension allow for additional steer travel whilst minimising any detrimental effect on the aerodynamics. On the rear wing, both the new flap & the central winglet generate additional downforce compared to the previous specification, particularly suited for the high-downforce nature of Monaco.

Aston Martin has a new Front Suspension, Cooling Louvres and Exhaust Tailpipe. Additional bodywork louvres may be added to increase the exit area of the bodywork to provide the cooling level required at this event, while the updated exhaust tailpipe bracket is used to generate additional local load on the surfaces at the rear of the car.

Haas has a new Front Suspension, Rear Wing and Rear Impact Structure. A minor revision to the RW SM fairing is aimed at inducing localized upwash, providing a small but beneficial contribution to meeting the circuit's high
downforce demands, while an additional aerodynamic device was installed downstream of the exhaust tailpipe, with the primary objective of encouraging local upwash and consequently enhancing the generation of localized downforce in that region.

Audi has a new Front Wing, Mirror, Engine Cover and Rear Wing. The mirror design adapts air flow local to the front of the sidepod and cooling inlets, giving a minor efficiency improvement, while for this event a new roll hoop and engine cover design are introduced to efficiently increase cooling options. The SM actuators have been removed from the front wing to reduce any unnecessary blockage, similarly the change to the rear wing.

As part of its ongoing in-season rear wing development programme, flap winglets are introduced at this event by Alpine to further enhance aerodynamic performance.

Cadillac has a new Rear Wing and Exhaust Tailpipe. The updated rear wing and end plate surfaces will generate more aerodynamic load at the rear of the car whilst also improving sensitivity to changes in attitude, while changes to the exhaust tailpipe and bracket geometry will increase local aerodynamic load and consequently improve the load characteristics at the rear of the car.

Ferrari set the pace earlier, with Max Verstappen third quickest, ahead of the Mercedes pair.

Isack Hadjar crashed out in a session which witnessed many near misses, as drivers complains of the bumps and struggled for grip. Even the most experienced driver in the history of the sport was caught out, Fernando Alonso bringing the session to an early conclusion after hitting the barrier at the entrance to the Nouvelle Chicane.

The lights go green and Russell leads the way, followed by Verstapepn, Gasly, Hulkenberg and Lindblad. The RB driver has been given a warning for impeding earlier, as has Leclerc.

Russell posts a benchmark of 22.176, a somewhat low benchmark. Bortoleto responds with a 20.653, then Norris gets sensible with a 17.011.

Verstappen stops the clock at 15.933, then Hamilton at 14.306.

Leclerc responds with a 14.240 as Lawson gives the barrier a nudge at the Swimming Pool.

As Antonelli goes second (14.208), Leclerc improves to 14.175.

Quickest in the first and final sectors, Verstapepn posts a 14.008. All are on mediums, bar Alonso and Stroll who are on softs.

Hamilton posts a 13.729, the Briton quickest in the opening two sectors.

"Thank you, boys. Thank you," says Hadjar as he heads out of the pits.

As in FP1, drivers having their times deleted after getting it wrong at the Nouvelle Chicane.

Indeed, Norris has stopped in the escape road at Turn 10, causing the VSC to be deployed. The marshals have great difficulty in pushing the McLaren to safety.

Zak Brown reveals that Norris lost all power, feeling the issue is battery related.

The all-clear is given with 41 minutes remaining.

"My seat keeps clicking," reports Hamilton.

Quickest in S1, Leclerc makes a mistake at the Nouvelle Chicane. Nonetheless, he leapfrogs his teammate with a 13.613.

The drivers begin to switch to softs and among the first is Verstappen who raises the bar with a 13.467. Hamilton, still on mediums, improves with a 13.549.

Hulkenberg goes fifth with a 14.094, as Gasly posts a 14.497 to go sixth. Both are on softs.

Russell goes second with a 13.515 as teammate Antonelli remains 0.383s off the pace.

Piastri scrapes the wall at the entry to Portier.

Piastri can only manage eighth, while Perez goes twelfth.

Russell almost heads up the exhaust pipe of Bortoleto's Audi in Rascasse.

Albon improves to fifteenth, while his Williams teammate remains seventeenth.

Verstappen consolidates his position with a 13.194.

As Leclerc stops the clock at 13.137, Sainz improves to ninth with a 14.512.

A 13.026 from Hamilton.

Smoke pours from the front of Colapinto's alpine after he clouted the barrier at Ste Devote.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, attention switches to Sunday as the long runs get underway.

Out of sequence, Hadjar improves to sixth with a 14.087.

Hamilton appears to catch his team on the back foot when he pits for an adjustment to his front wing but the team isn't ready for him.

On board shows smoke in the cockpit of Perez' Cadillac. As he slows it is clear that his front-right brake disc is on fire. As he climbs from the car at Casino, and the marshals get to work, the session is red-flagged.

With just over three minutes remaining, it is doubtful that there will be any further meaningful running.

That said, Gasly heads out with two minutes remaining, followed by Leclerc, Bortoleto, Ocon and Hamilton as they head to the grid for a practice start.

Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen, Russell, Antonelli, Hadjar, Piastri, Hulkenberg, Bortoleto and Bearman.

Gasly is eleventh, ahead of Sainz, Albon, Lindblad, Colapinto, Lawson, Ocon, Perez, Norris, Alonso, Bottas and Stroll.

1-2s in both sessions suggests that those predicting a Ferrari win may have been on the money. However, like Mercedes, both drivers have a point to prove.

And then, other than said Mercedes pair, there's Max, who can never, ever be written off.

Coming off the back of a disastrous weekend in Canada, McLaren will have been expecting more, much more and the early signs are not good, the team's woes compounded by the significance of this particular weekend.

Meanwhile, Audi appears to be the early 'best of the rest'.

However, as the pressure ramps up, and the drivers take ever increasing risks, it is likely that we're going to see a few upsets over the next couple of days.