The Ferrari driver turned his impressive training pace into the top position in qualifying for Ferrari despite crashing during his final Q3 run which triggered a late red flag.
The premature end of the final qualifying prevented his rivals from improving on their final flying laps, earning Leclerc his first F1 pole since the 2019 Mexican GP and the first for a Monegasque driver at the Monte Carlo race.
But Leclerc was sweating over the condition of his Ferrari F1 car, which was badly damaged in his accident in the second part of the swimming pool section.
Although Max Verstappen drove the fastest first sector on his last lap before the red flag, he had to be content with second place for Red Bull.
Both Mercedes suffered from tire warming up in qualifying, but Valtteri Bottas was able to recover a little and finished third ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and AlphaTauris Pierre Gasly impressed in qualifying with positions five and six in front of Hamilton, who is accompanied in the fourth row by four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin.
Sergio Perez was another to survive a difficult qualifying for Red Bull in ninth place when Antonio Giovinazzi crossed his Alfa Romeo into Q3 for the first time this season and qualified in 10th place.
Mick Schumacher missed qualifying after a serious accident in the final minutes of the final practice session as his Haas F1 car required extensive repairs that put him out of action.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
When is the Monaco F1 Grand Prix?
Date: Sunday 23 May 2021
Start time: 2:00 p.m. BST, 3:00 p.m. local time
The fifth round of the 2021 F1 season, the Monaco GP at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, begins on Sunday, May 23, at 3 p.m. local time (2 p.m. BST).
How can I see the Monaco GP?
In the UK, Sky Sports owns the exclusive live broadcast rights of F1, with the Monaco GP race being broadcast live on Sky Sports F1. Pre-race coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. BST before the race starts at 2 p.m. BST.
After the race, live coverage from Sky Sports F1 will continue to track the post-race reaction from waving the checkered flag until 5:00 p.m. CEST.
Autosport offers live text commentary for the Monaco GP.
When can I see the highlights?
In the UK, Channel 4 will broadcast the highlights of the Monaco GP on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. BST. The full program runs over two and a half hours and includes the pre-race, the racing highlights and the first reaction after the race to conclude the main topics of discussion of the race weekend.
During the entire 2021 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast the highlights of every qualifying and race on Saturday and Sunday of every event. The highlights will also be available through Channel 4’s on-demand catch-up service.
Channel: Channel 4
Start time: 6:30 p.m. BST
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Will it be on the radio?
Live radio broadcasts of every practice session, qualifying session and race for the 2021 F1 season will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra.
Coverage of the Monaco GP begins at 1:50 p.m. BST on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, which is available on both DAB radio and the BBC Sounds app.
Weather forecast for the Monaco GP
Current weather forecasts predict overcast and cloudy conditions, but a low chance of rain on race day. At the start of the race, 20 degrees Celsius is expected – around two degrees cooler than the Spanish GP.
How many laps does the Monaco GP take?
The race is to complete 78 laps on the Circuit de Monaco and cover a total distance of 260,286 km.
Will there be fans at the Monaco GP?
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the spectator allowance for the Monaco GP is currently limited to 40% of the regular full capacity for the race weekend, with a maximum of 7,500 fans allowed on each day of the track promotion. For the “rest day” on Friday, the upper limit is set at 3,000 spectators. All fans are obliged to follow the COVID-19 regulations in the grandstands and around the street.
