Charles Leclerc took his sixth Grand Prix victory in Monaco last weekend, and his first on home soil. Leclerc finally banished the ‘curse’ that has befallen him in the principality.
The Ferrari driver hadn’t so much as finished on the podium at the iconic race despite starting on pole twice. In 2021, he couldn’t even take the start because of undiscovered driveshaft damage from a Q3 crash, and a year later, a strategic mishap from Ferrari cost him.
But this time around, Leclerc made sure nothing could get in his way. He dominated the whole weekend, controlling the pace and managing his tyres to convert his third Monaco pole.
The 26-year-old also ended a victory drought stretching back to the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. In addition to his six wins in Ferrari colours, he’s picked up 24 poles and 35 podiums.
Leclerc started his career at Sauber back in 2018. He’d won the Formula 2 championship the previous year but Ferrari wanted to blood him in F1’s midfield before they gave him a shot at the top team.
The Scuderia took advantage of their engine supply deal with the Swiss outfit to find him a seat. He delivered 39 points to finish 13th in the championship.
Charles Leclerc says fatigue hit him hard in rookie F1 season
Leclerc comfortably got the better of teammate Marcus Ericsson in that rookie campaign. He out-scored the Swede by 30 and out-qualified him 17-4.
But, reflecting on the season on the On Purpose podcast, he admitted he wasn’t at his best. That’s because he was ‘super-tired’ from the demanding schedule.
He quickly learned to adapt to ensure he stays fresh throughout the year. The F1 calendar comprises a record 24 races this year, and will be just as long in 2025.
Leclerc is now regarded as one of the five truly elite drivers in the sport. That group also includes world champions Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and McLaren driver Lando Norris.
“I arrived the first year in Formula 1, and to be honest I was a mess,” he said. “I was doing the flight myself, I would get to the track the day just before the practice starts and I would be super-tired, especially before the end of the season when you don’t manage to stay at your 100% all the time.
“Then of course with experience you learn. Now there are a whole team of people helping me in all of this because it’s super important to be 100% at the end of the season.”
What Damon Hill said to Charles Leclerc after Monaco Grand Prix win
Leclerc achieved a major milestone in his career by winning his home Grand Prix. His next target will surely be taking the title.
His victory last weekend, combined with Verstappen’s surprise sixth-place finish, has narrowed the gap at the top of the championship to 31 points. It remains unlikely that he’ll be able to challenge the Red Bull driver this term, but he could be a strong contender in 2025.
Earlier this week, 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill took to Instagram to congratulate Leclerc. He told him he could ‘rest easy’, having ‘fulfilled his mission’.
Sergio Perez said ‘bravo’, while his close friend Pierre Gasly was ‘so happy’ for him. Despite finishing second, Oscar Piastri also applauded his achievement.
Leclerc has now tied Perez in sixth place for the most wins among active drivers. Only Hamilton (103), Verstappen (59), Alonso (32), Valtteri Bottas (10) and Daniel Ricciardo (8) have more.
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