Charles Leclerc is Monaco’s most successful Formula 1 driver of all time, and is an iconic figure of the world’s second smallest country.
Leclerc is the first Monegasque to win a race, start it on pole, set a fastest lap or even lead a World Championship. This year, he finds himself in the midst of Title battle, involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen so far.
The 24-year old was billed as a generational talent upon his entry into the sport. In his first season with Sauber, he turned a lot of heads in the paddock by overperforming in the mechanical package that was available to him. Ferrari haven’t won a Title since 2008, and it’s a belief among the Tifosi that Leclerc will be the man to bring glory days back to Maranello.
Being his country’s most iconic sporting figure, Leclerc was involved in a unique outing back in 2020. He got to take Prince Albert, the Prince of Monaco for a spin around the streets of the principality. The car they used for this was a $700,000 Ferrari SF90.
They travelled through the streets of Monaco, which host the very coveted Monaco Grand Prix. He even took the Prince’s wife, Princess Charlene for a spin thereafter.
Charles Leclerc to end his Monaco Grand Prix curse in 2022?
For Leclerc, the Monaco GP is very special. This is because the cars race on the streets where he grew up as a boy. Despite his emotional attachment to the race, glory has always eluded him in Monaco.
Even in his F2 days, he suffered two race ending issues on two separate outings. Since making the jump up to F1 in 2018, he hasn’t finished any race in Monaco, and didn’t even start the 2021 installment, in spite of qualifying on pole.
This year Ferrari have a car that is fighting for the Championship, and it’s his best chance to win in front of his home fans. He would particularly want to win this race, to reclaim the lead at the top of the Drivers’ Standings.
A power-unit failure in Spain last week forced him to retire, and Verstappen won the race, moving six points clear of the Ferrari driver at the top. With a victory in Monaco, Leclerc will once again lead the Championship.
