Formula 1: Leclerc in Ferrari crisis: Bitter Monaco home game threatens

Charles Leclerc does not remain much more than perseverance slogans before his home game in the narrow streets of Monaco. “We don’t want to write off this season. We cannot afford to give up now,” said the Ferrari star in front of the Grand Prix in his hometown. A year ago, the 27-year-old won the most prestigious of all Formula 1 races for the first time, which he pursued up close as a child behind the guardrails.

Is a repetition of his coup with a subsequent leap into the harbor basin on Sunday (3 p.m./Sky) realistic? “The hope is that we can surprise, but it just doesn’t look good on paper,” said Leclerc. Because the stubborn Ferrari does not want to be the way the proud Scuderia imagines it. After seven out of 24 seasonals, Leclerc is the fifth 85 points behind leader Oscar Piatri in the McLaren in the overall ranking. Again there is nothing with the desired World Cup title.

End of the Ferrari crisis not in sight

The Finn Kimi Raikkonen won the last driver crown for Ferrari in 2007. After that, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel also failed on the triumph of the Reds, Leclerc has long since defended himself against it that this flaw also heases forever. “I would like to know what is going wrong by car,” said Leclerc in the principality pad: “It is not foreseeable how and when we can close the gap and drive again for victories.”

With his sprint victory in China, teammate and record world champion Lewis Hamilton ensured a small sign of life, Leclerc’s only podium of the season was third in Saudi Arabia. That is far too little for the man in the seventh Ferrari year, in which many saw an coming world champion early.

Once in the school bus on the Formula 1 course

The big problem in Monaco: the Ferrari has its big weaknesses in slow curves. “And there is only slow curves here,” said Leclerc. It is a frustrating situation for the whole team. He has to place his car as far ahead as possible on Saturday in order to have a chance of a top result in the Grand Prix.

This is particularly important to the Vice World Champion of 2022 in Monaco. He drove on the school bus over the legendary route at a young age, later the big prize was a holiday for the whole family. “It is still magical when Formula 1 drives here,” said Leclerc’s younger brother Arthur, who, as a 24-year-old, has Ferrari’s youth-1 ambitions.

At the curve on the legendary swimming pool, the Leclercs once spellbound the racing. “The engines were so loud at the time that I had to cry because it hurt so much,” said Arthur Leclerc. The parents had to buy his earplugs, in 2024 his brother won the first Monegasse in his home country since the race premiere in 1950.

Hope for magic in qualifying

In the days before the Grand Prix, Leclerc’s face can be seen in the city with only around 39,000 inhabitants everywhere. On advertising posters in the underground train station, around the route, of course also in the paddock. “The victory was a very special day for me,” said Leclerc in retrospect.

For the third time he was already in the first place. On Saturday he also planned to “create something magical in the qualification,” said Leclerc. “I don’t give up this hope. My motivation here is always particularly high.”

The asphalt tape in Monaco is a maximum of ten meters wide, often much narrower. Overtaking is almost impossible in the race, which is why mistakes in qualifying are so serious on the course with the iconic tunnel and the Rascasse curve.

Not only Leclerc is at home in Monaco

A new rule with two compulsory boxing stops should finally make the racing Sundays in Monaco more exciting with more tactical variants. The drivers have to do hard work. The guardrails are close, a small error can quickly end. “Monaco is special for every driver,” said Leclerc. While he is already more than 12,000 millionaires at home in the noble location in the noble location, many of his colleagues also live on the Côte d’Azur.

This is not only due to security and discretion for the rich, but also due to the tax benefits. Anyone who has enough money to be able to live in Monaco benefits from the exemption from income tax, there is also no asset or property tax.

The electoral monitals include the biggest names of the scene in Hamilton, world champion Max Verstappen or McLaren driver Lando Norris. The German Nico Hülkenberg from Team Kick Sauber has also been living in Monaco since 2015. It will also be a home game for them, but a little more for Leclerc. “The Grand Prix in Monaco means everything for us,” said Arthur Leclerc.