Mansell raced around the streets of the Principality on Friday morning to log a 1:29.914s, topping Group B in qualifying.
It was a performance that will see him start on the front row for Sunday’s Feature race on Sunday, alongside pole-sitter Gabrielle Mini.
The 30-car Formula 3 field is split in two for Monaco, with Mansell in the second group.
Gabriele Mini was fastest in Group A, his best time quicker than what Mansell achieved as he topped Group B. As a result, the Italian will start from pole, with Mansell second.
“In the car, the emotions were high,” Mansell said when asked about his qualifying session by Speedcafe.
“You are dancing with the walls constantly around here.
“Even though you’re already so far on the limit, you’ve just got to try and tell yourself that there’s more in it because there always is.
“I mean, the emotions were so, so high in the best possible way,” he added.
“I’d love to relive that moment again whenever I’m having a bad day; I’d like to just have that in the memory bank and put it on repeat.
“That’s sort of how much it meant for me.”
The result comes after a tough weekend in Imola a week ago, where he was 12th in the Sprint race and only 20th in the Feature.
That contrasted the season-opening weekend in Bahrain, where he was second in the Feature.
“It’s been really up and down for me,” Mansell said of his season thus far.
“I had such a positive Bahrain, quite an average Australian Grand Prix and then a really, really poor Imola.
“Obviously, to come back and put it on the front row for Monaco is definitely.. I was definitely stepping high in the car.
“There’s been a few times in my life where I’ve smiled so much, and I think that was probably up there as one of them.”
Mansell will start 11th for Saturday’s Sprint race courtesy of the reverse top-12 employed in Monaco before a front-row berth for Sunday.
That race begins at 08:00 local time Sunday morning (16:00 AEST).
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