Leclerc fastest despite complaints and collision

Charles Leclerc set the pace in first practice at the Monaco Grand Prix, despite consistently complaining about the behaviour of his Ferrari.

Leclerc, who won his home race for the first time last year, said at various times that Ferrari were "nowhere" and that there was "something wrong with the car".

But he ended the session 0.163 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

McLaren's Lando Norris was third, 0.326secs off the pace, with Williams' Alex Albon fourth and championship leader Oscar Piastri fifth.

Leclerc, who was pessimistic about Ferrari's hopes for Monaco, had an incident-packed session.

He started it by taking to the escape road at Mirabeau on his very first lap, and soon afterwards hit the rear of Lance Stroll's Aston Martin at the Loews hairpin, after the Canadian veered into the Ferrari's path while on a slow lap.

That damaged the Ferrari's front wing, but Leclerc was able to continue. Stroll, though, took no further part in the session because of rear suspension damage and the need to change his gearbox.

Lewis Hamilton was the driver who came closest to a second major incident, when he clipped the inside wall at the exit of the Swimming Pool and bounced over the kerbs in the run-off area.

The seven-time champion ended the session ninth in his Ferrari, behind Mercedes' George Russell, Williams driver Carlos Sainz and Alpine's Pierre Gasly.

The top 10 was completed by Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin, as the team are joined at a race weekend for the first time by new managing technical partner Adrian Newey, who was in the garage with his famous notebook casting his eye over events.

Both Norris and Piastri clipped barriers at various points in the session without damaging their cars, and Norris had a trip into the escape road at Sainte Devote.

There was a wide range of tyres used by the teams at various points of the session, as they worked out how best to approach a race that will be a mandatory two-stop strategy as a consequence of a rule change made for this weekend only.