Robert de Haan leads qualifying at Porsche Supercup Monaco

Robert de Haan secures pole in Monaco for round 2 of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup 2025, narrowly ahead of Theo Oeverhaus. Race preview and qualifying recap.

After a painful early exit in Imola, Dutch driver Robert de Haan delivered exactly the kind of performance expected of him in Monaco: composed, fast, and ambitious. The 18-year-old BWT Lechner Racing talent snatched pole on the iconic street circuit with a time of 1:33.104 — a result that served not only as a tactical win but a psychological rebound from his season-opening disappointment.

Sharing the front row is Porsche Junior Theo Oeverhaus of Proton Huber Competition. The German championship leader came just 0.055 seconds short of pole. His consistency and pace already earned him the win at Imola, and now he has a crucial opportunity to defend that lead on a circuit where overtaking is rare and mistakes come at a steep price.

Third on the grid is de Haan’s teammate, Marvin Klein, who openly admitted his focus is now squarely on points after the chaos in Italy. Given the tightly packed qualifying times and Monaco’s notorious lack of overtaking opportunities, a cautious and strategic approach might be his best path forward.

The qualifying session itself was anything but smooth. Red flags interrupted the 30-minute window three times due to driver errors, forcing marshals to recover stranded Cup cars. Klein was one of those affected, having to abandon what looked like a promising lap. De Haan, anticipating potential disruptions, nailed his flying lap early in the session on a fresh set of tyres — a decision that proved decisive. Oeverhaus benefitted partially from clean air after the first stoppage but was boxed in following the next, with no chance to improve.

Behind the top trio, South Africa’s Keagan Masters from Ombra Racing lines up fourth, followed by Porsche Juniors Alessandro Ghiretti (Schumacher CLRT) and Huub van Eijndhoven (Team GP Elite). Notably, Dutch rookie Dirk Schouten impressed by qualifying eighth — the fastest among all first-year Supercup drivers.

Beyond the stopwatch, fans in Monte Carlo were treated to a nostalgic highlight: a special “Legend Talk” featuring Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard. Häkkinen holds a unique record in the Supercup — he's still the only VIP guest driver to have claimed victory, including a memorable win in Monaco back in 1993.

As Sunday approaches, the stage is set for a gripping 17-lap sprint. With rain unlikely and mechanical reliability often decisive on Monaco’s unforgiving streets, the front row starters — de Haan and Oeverhaus — seem poised for an intense duel. A win here could mark a turning point in the 2025 season and signal a potential shift in championship momentum.

Source: porsche.com