Charles Leclerc started the 2022 season with a lot of expectations, with his F1-75 being the fastest car on the track. However, as the season progressed, Ferrari began showing cracks in terms of reliability and Red Bull kept getting better. On top of that, their strategy goof-ups led to them losing out on a lot of points to their rivals.
Ferrari made a lot of errors that spoiled Leclerc’s races and fans feel that those mistakes spoiled his Championship charge. While Leclerc himself does not blame his team, he does think they were painful. One of the most famous examples of strategy blunders was the Silverstone GP, where the team’s mistake gave Carlos Sainz the win, but limited Leclerc to a P4 finish.
Leclerc crashes Lauda’s Ferrari at Monaco. The curse continues. pic.twitter.com/HdxYkiGTjq
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) May 15, 2022
For the Monegasque driver, however, the defeat in his home race was much more painful. The Monaco GP, in general, has been an unlucky event for Leclerc with multiple incidents compromising his races over the years. This year, he started the race from the pole position and was the favorite to win it but once again lost out on it. This time, it was Ferrari’s strategy that prevented his maiden home victory.
Monaco GP was the most painful moment for Charles Leclerc in 2022
Usually, when a driver starts from pole position in Monaco, fans take it for granted that they will win the race unless they crash or are forced to retire. Leclerc, however, finished in fourth simply because Ferrari went ahead with the wrong game plan.
Leclerc feels that his loss in Monaco cost him a lot of momentum in terms of his Championship charge. “It was really not easy but Monaco, for me, will remain the most painful moment,” the 25-year-old said. “Another home Grand Prix that didn’t go well.”
And you couldn’t jump from the top of the dyke [Interviewer means jumping in the sea from the harbour, which Charles said he would do if he had won in Monaco]?
Charles: “I could have but it would have been for the wrong reasons (laughs).”#LÉquipe
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) November 22, 2022
“Unfortunately, something always happens to me in Monaco and this year was no exception. Especially because we had managed to do the hardest part well, the start in the rain, but by making the wrong choices, we unfortunately lost the victory.”
Leclerc managed to hold on to P2 in Drivers’ Championship
Coming into the last race of the season, Leclerc was level on points with Sergio Perez. Both drivers entered the season finale with 290 points a piece, and it would simply be down to who finished ahead in Abu Dhabi.
For a large part of the race, it was Perez who was in control. Leclerc and Ferrari, however, took a gamble with the one-stop strategy that paid off. He ended the season off on a strong note, holding on to the important P2 position in the Drivers’ standings, and also helping Ferrari hold Mercedes off in the Constructors’ Championship to finish second.
