“Drivers are so well prepared for circuits like Monaco”– Charles Leclerc dismisses over-reliance on machinery in Monaco.
The Monaco Grand Prix is the most glamorous weekend of Formula 1, but it is often criticized for being a race that discourages the spectacles of overtaking.
Hence, a team with superior machinery is likelier to win the race. Still, Charles Leclerc, for whom this is his home circuit, disagrees with the claim and talks about drivers’ preparation also being influential.
“I think that was the case at one time, it is still a bit the case today but, unfortunately, there are so many differences and the drivers are so well prepared for circuits like Monaco,” he told Codesport Monaco.
“The driver can, of course, make up two or three tenths, but when you talk about the gaps between Red Bull, Mercedes and the others, it is very complicated for us to make the difference.
“Especially as it’s not as if there are two bad drivers in each of these teams! Lewis [Hamilton] and Max [Verstappen] are still in better cars. But you never know. In qualifying, everything is decided on one lap. I’ll give it my all and hope to get a good result.
“But let’s be realistic: if Mercedes and Red Bull don’t have any problems, it will be very difficult to challenge them.”
Monaco is favourite
With Ferrari, Leclerc had his first race in 2019, and since then, he is yet to compete in Monaco for his current team. But being his home, he has a special connection with the Monte Carlo circuit, and it is apparently is his favourite.
“I love to drive at the limit of the car without ever being able to go beyond it because with the walls, you have no right to make mistakes,” he said.
“That’s the challenge I like as a driver and that’s why Monaco has such a special place in my heart. Even if I wasn’t a Monegasque, Monaco would still be my favourite track. The feeling for the driver when he drives at full speed in this city is incredible. I love it.”
