Big Boost for McLaren and Ferrari; Helmut Marko Admits Red Bull Could Struggle in Monaco

Although Red Bull have had a slightly sluggish start as per their extremely high standards in recent times, they yet remain the team to beat. After the first seven races of the 2024 season, Max Verstappen has won five of them for Red Bull. Meanwhile, McLaren and Ferrari have won one Grand Prix each. However, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes that the upcoming race in Monaco could be another Grand Prix weekend when McLaren or Ferrari could register another win.

When asked about his expectations for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Marko replied (as quoted by Junaid on X), “I think that will be the most difficult race for us, also due to the bumps and kerbs. We will certainly have to deal with McLaren and I also expect a lot from Ferrari and above all from Charles Leclerc”.

Helmut Marko believes that the stage in the Principality will be the most difficult for the RB20 at the start of the season: “I think that will be the most difficult race for us, also due to the bumps and kerbs.” https://t.co/EvAH4b6QzP

— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) May 21, 2024

Marko‘s recent remarks come at a time when Red Bull have not been at their dominant best. Although Verstappen has won most of the races even in 2024 so far, the margin he has won by has reduced.

In most of the races last season, the Dutchman won by a margin of over 20 seconds. However, in stark contrast, he won the most recent Grand Prix in Imola by less than a second from McLaren’s Lando Norris. While McLaren seem like the closest challenger in the past three races, they are not the only team that have been challenging Red Bull.

Ferrari are another side who have posed a challenge to the Milton Keynes-based outfit and have also won a race this year, thanks to Carlos Sainz’s victory in Australia. With F1 next headed to Monaco, a circuit Charles Leclerc and Ferrari have historically been strong at, they could be the favorites to win the race.

Can Charles Leclerc end the Monaco GP curse with Ferrari?

A home Grand Prix is always special for any driver and one race that they are always desperate to win. The same is the case with Charles Leclerc, who is a proud Monegasque.

However, the 26-year-old’s luck at his home race has been so poor that he has not even finished on the podium. Leclerc has competed in five editions of the Monaco GP so far, and the best he has finished is fourth (2022).

2022 also happens to be a season when Leclerc suffered a massive heartbreak at his home Grand Prix, having qualified on pole and led the majority of the race. He labeled the 2022 Monaco GP as a “freaking disaster” after a strategic blunder, involving the pit stops, cost him the win.

Leclerc had initially been called in before the pit wall told him to stay out at the last moment. However, by then, the Monegasque had already entered the pits.

Much to his frustration, he then realized that Ferrari were not ready for the stop. After eventually crossing the line in fourth, he said on the team radio with agony, “No words. The season is long but we cannot do that“.

While luck has not favored Leclerc in the past, he will hope that his fortunes change this year, with Ferrari looking in a stronger position to fight Red Bull and McLaren for wins. Leclerc himself admitted in his most recent interview after the Emilia Romagna GP last weekend how special it would be for him to win in Monaco.