Born in Monaco, Leclerc finally wants to conquer ‘his own’ street circuit

The lion’s share of Formula 1 drivers commute from home to work this weekend by scooter, bicycle, scooter or horse-drawn carriage. The 68th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix is ​​a home race for at least half of the driver list.

And while a few people would argue strongly that the choice to live there was based on good weather and beautiful scenery, it mostly has to do with the favorable tax climate.

Thus, the definition of home racing applies to a significant portion of the motorsport body. But only one pilot was born and raised in the principality: Charles Leclerc. There he went to school, learned to swim and play football, sat in the stands of AS Monaco and took his first driving lesson in the streets of Monte Carlo.

backwards

For 24-year-old Leclerc, Monaco’s classic Formula 1 (only England and Italy have hosted more Grand Prix) means more than a home race. The Ferrari driver could be the first Monegask to win the world-class crown. But then the tide has to turn.

Never before in his motorsport career had Leclerc achieved an attractive result on “his” streets. In fact, he never reached the finish line as a Formula 1 driver. And recently bad luck struck again. Jerky brakes caused a painful shift in a historic Ferrari. The iconic 312 B3, which was very much in vogue at Niki Lauda in the 1970s, was located in the Rascasse bend, with a curved rear wing on the cushions.

Leclerc said succinctly: “Monaco is not really my happiest track, but it is part of motorsport.” “The brakes blew into Lauda’s car and he was always against it in Formula 1 and in the entry-level classes. Sometimes it takes a few years for everything to fall into place. That seems to be the case here too. I hope so.” be successful now.”

But gradually street racing became an obsession for Leclerc. Accidents, technical problems and setbacks have accumulated in recent years.

Low score: 2021. Leclerc takes pole, but an attempt to improve his best time ends with a blow to the wall. “This was my fault. I wanted too much, I took risks and I was so impatient because I knew this was one of my few chances last year,” she says guiltily.

Ferrari misjudged the results of qualifying. The car was carefully repaired and inspected, and the red team gave the green light after hours of tinkering, but the car broke down on the way to the starting position on Sunday afternoon. Max Verstappen triumphed on a silver platter, seized the opportunity and laid the foundation for his first world title.

2022 should be the year of the big comeback. Leclerc is a real favorite for the first time. It is true that Verstappen has been leading the World Cup since the last race in Barcelona, ​​but there is optimism at Ferrari. There is a logical reason for this. Leclerc has already won two races this year. He died in Catalonia from engine failure, but dominated this race until he was suddenly stopped.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t finish, but last weekend in Spain clearly showed that we are on the right track in terms of speed. This offers a chance at the championship. Of course the failure of engine parts is annoying and we lost a lot of points, but I think this is an isolated case, we solved the problem.

Come in and do the work

Leclerc categorically denies that his poor results in Monaco caused him any stress. In front of a wall in a Ferrari guest house “I don’t feel the extra pressure. “I’m having a good time, I know I have a good car to win races and that makes me happy.” dozens of journalists.

“I love this song and it doesn’t look much different from previous releases. It was then my responsibility to bring the great Ferrari back to the top. If we stay calm, the results will come. Me, it’s a problem.” get in and get the job done.”

Leclerc: “Last year I had to take a lot of risks because our car was not that competitive. Now I have a good car and I can be a little more careful. If we finish a clear weekend here, I can become champion.” race, I am convinced of that.

“What you need on this track is confidence. You can’t go wrong here and you are constantly flirting with the walls. I love it and so does my absolute favorite corner pool. I learned to swim in these turns. , so that’s what makes this place really special. I will still enjoy it. Monaco is full for three days. Racing has never been more popular in the public interest. Fantastic.”

“Give Sainz time”

Leclerc and Verstappen are the trendsetters of the season. The battle for the title revolves around contemporaries; teammates Carlos Sainz and Sergio Pérez play second fiddle. In this supporting role, Verstappen’s Mexican right-hand man is currently better off than Sainz. The Spaniard openly admits that he has not yet mastered F1-75 and has made an impressive number of slides.

Leclerc is not worried about Sainz’s disappointing performance. “Carlos is having a hard time adapting his driving style to this new car. He is very strong but still lacks confidence. No problem. Give him some time. That way Carlos can win this race. He still races. Follow here.”