Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg will lead off the Formula 1 pack at the ever-popular Monaco Grand Prix in 2013, after the German held off the challenge of his British team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a scintillating qualifying session around the streets of Monte Carlo.
Rosberg will start the race in Pole Position on Sunday, with Hamilton sharing the front of the grid in P2.
Sebastian Vettel the holding Champ, and current leader in the Driver’s World Championship, put his Red Bull into third on the grid, some 0.2 of a second ahead of his teammate, Australian veteran driver, Mark Webber.
Kimi Raikkonen put on a strong showing once more, as the former champion put his Lotus machine into 5th place on the grid, the smallest of margins ahead of Ferrari’s Spanish ace, Fernando Alonso.
Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa failed to set a qualifying time, after a huge off in practice. The Brazilian will race, though – at the steward’s discretion – Massa will start at the back of the grid.
Monaco Grand Prix 2013 Qualifying Times
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
| 1 | 9 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 01:24.62 | 01:16.14 | 01:13.88 | 31 |
| 2 | 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 01:23.78 | 01:16.27 | 01:13.97 | 31 |
| 3 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 01:24.24 | 01:15.99 | 01:13.98 | 29 |
| 4 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 01:25.35 | 01:17.32 | 01:14.18 | 30 |
| 5 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Lotus-Renault | 01:25.84 | 01:16.04 | 01:14.82 | 31 |
| 6 | 3 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 01:23.71 | 01:16.51 | 01:14.82 | 32 |
| 7 | 6 | Sergio Perez | McLaren-Mercedes | 01:24.68 | 01:17.75 | 01:15.14 | 31 |
| 8 | 15 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 01:25.11 | 01:17.26 | 01:15.38 | 29 |
| 9 | 5 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 01:23.74 | 01:17.42 | 01:15.65 | 29 |
| 10 | 18 | Jean-Eric Vergne | STR-Ferrari | 01:23.70 | 01:17.62 | 01:15.70 | 29 |
| 11 | 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | 01:25.55 | 01:18.33 | 22 | |
| 12 | 19 | Daniel Ricciardo | STR-Ferrari | 01:24.85 | 01:18.34 | 23 | |
| 13 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus-Renault | 01:23.74 | 01:18.60 | 13 | |
| 14 | 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams-Renault | 01:24.68 | 01:19.08 | 22 | |
| 15 | 21 | Giedo van der Garde | Caterham-Renault | 01:26.10 | 01:19.41 | 21 | |
| 16 | 16 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Renault | 01:23.45 | 01:21.69 | 22 | |
| 17 | 14 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 01:26.32 | 14 | ||
| 18 | 20 | Charles Pic | Caterham-Renault | 01:26.63 | 13 | ||
| 19 | 12 | Esteban Gutierrez | Sauber-Ferrari | 01:26.92 | 12 | ||
| 20 | 23 | Max Chilton | Marussia-Cosworth | 01:27.30 | 13 | ||
| DNQ | 22 | Jules Bianchi | Marussia-Cosworth | No time | 1 | ||
| DNQ | 4 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | No time | 0 | ||
| Q1 107% Time | 01:29.29 |
Bianchi and Massa failed to set a qualifying time within the 107% requirement. Both race at stewards’ discretion. Massa takes five-place grid penalty for gearbox change.
