Ricciardo second fastest in Monaco

Daniel Ricciardo during final practice ahead in Monaco. Picture: Clive Mason Source: Clive Mason / Getty Images

AUSTRALIAN Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished just behind Britain's Lewis Hamilton in topping the times in Saturday morning's final free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Thanks to a stunning lap, Ricciardo was only 0.050 seconds slower than the championship leader's Mercedes after a dramatic hour's action.

Hamilton, who was the fastest man in Thursday's opening practice sessions, clocked a best lap of one minute and 16.758 seconds to set the pace, but only after locking up and missing the chicane on an earlier fast lap as he, and most other drivers, struggled to find perfection on the unforgiving barrier-lined circuit.

Third fastest was Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes who, watched by his father and former champion Keke, pushed hard but also made a mistake.

Defending four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was fourth in the second Red Bull ahead of two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Mexican Sergio Perez and his Force India teammate German Nico Hulkenberg.

Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne was eighth fastest for Toro Rosso ahead of teammate Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat and Dane Jan Magnussen, also a rookie, in the leading McLaren.

On a circuit where McLaren have been majestic victors in the past, Magnussen's teammate 2009 champion Briton Jenson Button was only 11th while Finn Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, was down in 16th in the second Ferrari.

Ricciardo was only 0.050 seconds slower than championship leader Lewis Hamilton. Picture: Clive Mason Source: Getty Images

On a perfect morning of blue skies and warm sunshine, the classic street circuit shimmered as the cars began practice, the two Mercedes men almost immediately stamping their authority on proceedings.

Rosberg, whose relationship with teammate Hamilton had been analysed and discussed so much during Friday's rest day, was first to set a clear fastest lap time and moved clear with 1:17.736.

Hamilton responded with several laps to close the gap to take second spot to less than two-tenths while the two Red Bull drivers, led by Ricciardo, moved into third and fourth places before Vettel stormed to third place shortly before the midway point in the session.

Only then did the leading men switch from traditional 'soft' tyres to the Monaco-compound 'super specials' for the extra grip required — a move that reshuffled the leaders and led to Hamilton, despite his complaints about his car's handling, recording the fastest lap ahead of Saturday's critical qualifying session.

Hamilton, who leads the championship from Rosberg by just three points, has never taken pole in the Mediterranean principality, but is aiming for his fifth in six races this year and his second Monaco win on Sunday.

He won in 2008 on his way to taking the title that year.

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