Leclerc hopes Monaco magic unlocks ‘something new’ for Ferrari

Charles Leclerc is banking on Monaco’s notorious unpredictability and unique layout to extract some performance magic from Ferrari’s car and help him spring a surprise in his home race.

So far this season, this weekend’s local hero only has a single podium to his name, the fruit of his efforts in last month’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.

Unfortunately, the Scuderia’s SF-25 has struggled on slower circuits this year – a concerning trend as F1 heads to the twisty, tight streets of Monte Carlo. However, the track’s very nature could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

When asked whether the singular demands of Monaco – where low-speed grip trumps all – could allow Ferrari to hone in on something new in the car’s setup, Leclerc responded with cautious optimism.

“The answer will have it on track tomorrow,” he said on Thursday.

“We don’t really know yet what to expect but it is true that there’s only those big gaps, so obviously we’ll try and focus and put the car in the best place possible for those big corners which normally on all the cars you’re just trying to kind of compromise between the high speeds and the low speeds.

“But here it’s all about the low speed and I hope that will give us something new about our car that we haven’t seen yet.”

All Eyes on Qualifying

Leclerc knows better than most that in Monaco, qualifying is half the battle – if not more. With overtaking almost impossible on the narrow circuit, starting position is crucial, and Leclerc is placing heavy emphasis on delivering when it counts.

“In Monaco, it’s also so unique and so different than anything we’ve raced on over the season,” he said. “But, we can have a bit of a surprise once we put the car down on tomorrow.

“I hope it will happen. And, if it doesn’t, I hope to be there on Saturday. Which, in my time, will remain the most important part of the weekend. But, on paper, it’s going to stay that way.”

Even if Ferrari’s SF-25 isn’t naturally suited to slow-speed corners, Leclerc sees qualifying – specifically Q3 – as an opportunity for some Saturday sorcery.

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“OK, you have some ideas, initial ideas of where you are going to be fighting for in qualifying but until you get that lap in Q3 and everybody goes back out you don’t really know where you stand.”

In a season of tough results, Leclerc is hoping that Monaco once again delivers the unexpected – and maybe reveals a Ferrari no one has seen yet.

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