Minì warns there is still more pace to find ahead of Qualifying
Fastest, But Not Satisfied
Gabriele Minì claimed the top spot in Thursday's Formula 2 Free Practice session at Monte Carlo, but the Italian was quick to stress that neither he nor MP Motorsport are yet operating at their ceiling. In a session that ended with Minì clocking a 1:21.809 to beat Kush Maini by a slender 0.020 seconds, the 21-year-old was a constant presence at the sharp end of the timing screens — yet came away with a clear sense that work remains to be done.
"It was quite a good session," he said in the paddock afterwards. "I felt that pretty much every push lap I was either P1 or P2, so it's very promising. I still feel we are not fully perfect, so of course we have some work to do for quali, as I'm sure everybody else does as well."
Tyre Data Adds Vital Context
Beyond the headline time, Minì highlighted the strategic value of running both the Soft and Supersoft compounds during the session, giving the team a meaningful performance reference heading into Qualifying.
"It's very good, more than good it's useful," he explained. "You now know a bit what to expect tomorrow. Of course it's going to be really different with two FPs from F1 and another quali from F3, so it's going to be very different in terms of track temperature and grip level. So we have to take all these things in consideration when looking at the data, when doing tomorrow's setup and also for me to prepare, but still it's a very big help."
The step between the two compounds was notable, though Minì was encouraged by how the car responded to the change. "We know there is a big step from the Softs to Supersofts. It's not too huge, but together with the track improvement and the change of balance, it's quite big. So it's very good to see that we adapted well, but of course we still have to do a good quali tomorrow."
Experience: A Factor, But Not a Decisive One
A notable detail from the session was that the top four — Minì, Maini, Alexander Dunne, and Dino Beganovic — all carry prior Formula 2 experience around Monaco. As explored in the 2026 Formula 2 Monaco Grand Prix preview, the circuit's unique demands make prior knowledge a potential edge. Minì, however, was measured in how much weight he attached to that advantage heading into Friday.
"To be honest it's not too relevant in a way because it's always different," he said. "Maybe F1 changes how the compound feels or F3 does the same, and even for us it's a different feel. So you have an idea, but it's in a way not completely pointless, but it's not as useful as someone would imagine."
The Qualifying Dilemma on the Streets of Monaco
On strategy for Qualifying itself, Minì outlined the fine line every driver must walk on the streets of Monte Carlo — the need to build pace gradually, without ever being caught out by the session ending prematurely.
"In a way you can't go too easy in the first laps, because you never know what can happen in Monaco," he said. "It's always very easy for anyone to tap a wall and create a red flag, a yellow flag and everything like that. So you still need to be up there almost straight away."
"Yes, build — because you don't want to be at the very edge on the first push, because there is no point doing that anyway with tyres that are not going to be in the window. But at the same time you can't be sleeping, so it's going to be about who finds the best compromise."
With Free Practice form suggesting genuine front-row potential, the real test for Minì and MP Motorsport will come under Qualifying pressure on Friday.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.