Charles Leclerc, a driver for Ferrari, recently expressed his lack of excitement for finishing in second or third place at the Monaco Grand Prix. Leclerc, who has had a history of bad luck at his home circuit, is determined to secure his first Formula 1 victory in Monaco. Despite the difficulty of overtaking on the track, Leclerc believes that the competitive order among the top teams, including Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari, will make Saturday’s qualifying session particularly intriguing. While a podium finish would be considered satisfactory by many, Leclerc is solely focused on achieving a win. Ferrari, which has struggled with race pace in the past, has seen a reversal of fortunes in 2024. However, the team still faces challenges with tire warm-up during qualifying. Despite this, Leclerc remains optimistic about the unique nature of the Monaco street circuit and its potential to benefit Ferrari’s performance.
In the tabloid format, the team’s uncompetitive car in 2021 propelled Leclerc to a surprising pole position in Monaco, despite performing poorly in other races.
Leclerc expressed his belief that starting from scratch in Monaco is a common occurrence. Despite recent races showing similar trends, he doesn’t expect much difference. He acknowledged that there may still be surprises, especially considering their previous struggles. However, in Monaco, their car performed exceptionally well. Leclerc emphasized the need to assess their position compared to others after Friday’s practice sessions. He admitted that it wouldn’t be surprising if they weren’t in contention for pole position.
Historically, the Monaco Grand Prix hasn’t yielded the desired results for Leclerc. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic that his luck can change this weekend. He expressed his excitement and the unique significance of the Monaco race, particularly because he grew up there. Leclerc highlighted their consistent competitiveness in Monaco and hoped for a similar outcome this weekend. Despite past disappointments, they have put in significant effort and preparation, aiming for a successful weekend.