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Monaco Grand Prix 2016: Conclusions from qualifying

Ricciardo is "blindingly fast", Hamilton looking for omens, and Verstappen comes back down to earth with Monaco-style thud

Ricciardo cements his place as one of F1's best
"A stonking lap," said Sky F1's Martin Brundle. "Dynamite," added Christian Horner. Even Toto Wolff couldn't hold back on the charm offensive, calling the Red Bull driver "blindingly fast".

Daniel Ricciardo's one-lap pace was no secret to the paddock despite his lack of a career pole position before Saturday, but the ease in which he dispatched both Mercedes and Sebastian Vettel was utterly impressive. He'd offered us a glimpse of the Red Bull's speed in practice, but this was dominant - a 1:13.622.

Ricciardo on pole, Lewis third
Ricciardo on pole, Lewis third

Daniel Ricciardo claimed a sensational first pole position of his F1 career - read the full report.

While the pressure of a title fight and team rivalry in Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton's case is immense, the heat was also on the Australian heading into the session - and not just because this was the most crucial qualifying of the season.

Despite his fine displays this season Ricciardo has, on the face of it, come away empty handed - his 2016 punctures and first-lap collisions compounded by having to watch new 'superstar' team-mate Max Verstappen seal victory in Spain having led the race himself.

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Paul di Resta is at the Skypad to analyse a scintilating lap from Daniel Ricciardo which helped secure him his first ever pole position in F1

But he didn't show it. Ricciardo was in control throughout, attacking the circuit with aggression. His driving skills were best encapsulated in the third sector, maneuvering his RB12 round the Swimming Pool chicane in sixth gear. Verstappen will tell you that's not so easy.

Yes, the Red Bull's much-lauded chassis seems perfect for the Principality. Yes, Ricciardo has an upgraded Renault engine fitted. But this was a fantastic driver at his best, the possible leader of an incredibly talented next generation of stars.

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Red Bull hail 'dynamite' Ricciardo 

"No disrespect to Red Bull, but I think that's Ricciardo's pole position," said Brundle. "He's been on it all weekend."

What's more, Ricciardo will start Sunday's grand prix on the supersoft tyre, having set his fastest Q2 time on that compound. A bold move from Red Bull, and one that gives them more options in the race.

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Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is extremely happy after earning his first pole in Formula 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix

"I was surprised that nobody else opted for it," said Horner. "We gave it a go and it paid off," added Ricciardo.

Nine out of the last 11 drivers to have secured pole in Monaco have gone on to win the race, so the 26-year-old can be in no better place as he aims for his first win since the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix.

Should he get through Turn One unscathed, and should his team nail their strategy - things are looking very good indeed for Ricciardo. A possible hitch? That rain forecast…

Hamilton left hoping for rain - and some 2008 omens
As hard as he tries, Monaco GP weekend just never seems to go entirely to plan for Lewis Hamilton.

Just as he was looking Mercedes' best bet for pole position, the world champion's W07 pulled up with fuel-pressure problems at the start of Q3. He made it back out on circuit to salvage third place but, on a circuit where building a rhythm is probably more important than anywhere else for a driver, he appeared to have slipped out of his pre-stoppage groove.

As Lewis himself noted, sitting out the opening Q3 exchanges wasn't a setback on par with China and Russia, when he missed the pole shootout completely, but the absence of a 'banker' lap meant that, to an extent, discretion had to prove the better part of valour. Of course, Rosberg was also delayed by the same issue on his car, but even the title leader conceded "I don't think [pole] it really went away from me; it never was with me".

Either way, Toto Wolff wasn't so sure the W07 was fast enough to lower Ricciardo's sensational 1:13.622 pole time anyway - a result which Hamilton acknowledges has given his Red Bull rival half a hand on race-day victory.

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See how Lewis Hamilton's qualifying session unfolded after fuel pressure issues hampered his Q3

"It's a one-stop [race] and unfortunately these tyres are so hard, even though they are supersoft and ultrasoft, it's going to be an easy one-stop for everyone most likely," Lewis told Sky F1. "So there's nothing you can do with strategy. You lose time in the pit stops.

"If there is a Safety Car or something you might get lucky and gain one position, but I'm two behind, so I'll work from there."

Hamilton down after engine woe

Although Sunday will be the first time Hamilton has started off the front row at Monaco in his Mercedes career, he twice started third during his McLaren days. The last time, in 2012, he went backwards on race day to finish fifth but the time before that? It was back in 2008 - the race which delivered what stands as his sole win at F1's most famous race. It rained then too - just as it is forecast to on Sunday...

"Daniel's on a potentially better strategy than we will be on but, you know, hopefully it rains!" said the world champion. "That would be pretty amazing." Given Hamilton's recent history in the principality, and the way his title defence has started, a second Monaco win from third would probably be "amazing" in itself. 

Crash-happy Max needs something a 'bit special'
After his Barcelona heroics, young Max Verstappen came crashing back down to earth some 300 miles north east in Monaco.

He hadn't been able to get too close to his team-mate all weekend, which you can perhaps put down to the different engines, but his Q1 error here had nothing to do with horsepower.

The teenager's fearlessness, often exuberance, are qualities that stand him in fine stead in his quest for world titles but they're things he may want to tone down around Monte Carlo.

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen had his second crash of the day on Saturday in Monaco causing a red flag during qualifying after crashing into the barriers

Last year he felt the full force of the Ste Devote barrier in his biggest F1 mistake to date while he even clipped the Massenet wall in Practice Three.

On this occasion, Verstappen tried to take too much speed into the Swimming Pool chicane and clipped the barrier. That diverted him into the kerb, which then sent him on course with the wall. He was a passenger.

A top driver doesn't want to be at the back of the grid at any circuit, but a lowly start in Monte Carlo is a nightmare. "I underestimated the grip I had," Verstappen told Sky F1. "I turned in too early and it was all wrong. Hopefully the weather will help tomorrow but if you start 21st, it's going to be difficult."

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen locks up in P3 in Monaco and clips the wall at Massinet but escapes unscathed

Verstappen's woes will be all the more frustrating from him given the Red Bull's potential. Horner made it clear that the 18-year-old was promoted to replace Daniil Kvyat because of his pace and not because of the Russian's reckless crash at his home grand prix, and after Verstappen first major mishap in the RB12 his team will certainly back him.

"It's desperately unlucky on his first lap," said the team's principal. "It's a reminder in this sport of how fine the margins are. We'll be expecting something a bit special from him tomorrow."

If there's one thing we do know about Verstappen, it's that he is capable of just that.

Ferrari do prove vulnerable - but not to McLaren
McLaren have often been accused of overpromising and underdelivering in recent years and suggestions they might challenge Ferrari around Monaco proved well wide of the mark in qualifying.

A second successive Q3 appearance courtesy of Fernando Alonso, while welcome, hardly pointed to signs of stellar progress when Jenson Button qualified 11th last year, when the team's Honda-engined package was in rather worse shape than it is now.

Nonetheless, predictions Ferrari might prove vulnerable to the midfield did prove accurate - although it was Force India who managed to give the Scuderia a run for their money.

Ferrari tyred out in qualy

Not only did Nico Hulkenberg split the Ferraris, he also qualified within 0.2s of Sebastian Vettel in fourth place - quite the feat given his countryman had set the pace in final practice and then again in Q1.

"We knew we had the speed to be inside the top 10 today, but to qualify fifth is better than I expected," said Hulkenberg after delivering Force India's best-ever Monaco starting slot. "I've had good vibes since the start of the weekend and I've felt comfortable and confident since the start of practice on Thursday. We made a big step forward in Barcelona and today's result shows that the car is working well, especially through the low-speed corners."

The same is true for Toro Rosso's STR11, with seventh-fastest Carlos Sainz losing out on fifth himself by all of two hundredths of a second. With Kimi Raikkonen dropping down the order, the fight for fifth between Hulkenberg, Sainz and their respective team-mates who start right behind, Sergio Perez and Daniil Kvyat, could be quite the battle.

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