Charles Leclerc disregards Monaco ‘curse’: “I’m not superstitious at all”


Charles Leclerc disregards Monaco ‘curse’: “I’m not superstitious at all”

Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc has famously bad luck at Monaco. It is so severe in fact that he has been unable to finish (or start) all the races the home races he has competed in during his Formula 1 career. Most Tifosi are usually always pessimistic about Charles’ weekend whenever it comes around, and it is not entirely without reason.

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In his first home race in Formula 1, competing for Sauber, he had a brake failure going into the Nouvelle chicane and collided with Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley, which instantly ended his race, on lap 72.

In 2019, he qualified 16th due to Ferrari not sending him out for another run. Trying to make up places having already climbed to 12th, Leclerc touched the wall at La Rascasse trying to overtake the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg, which sent him into a spin, and punctured his tire – that tire later disintegrated and he was out of the race.

In 2021, he went fastest in Q2, and then during the final stages, after having set his fastest time, he took too much curb and touched his car to the wall, which sent him into the next wall at turn 16. He was unable to start the race due to a driveshaft problem. At the Historic Monaco Grand Prix, he was sent into the walls due to a brake failure while driving Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari.

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Charles Leclerc is feeling good, and flying high

Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc will start on pole position tomorrow, after a dominant qualifying session.

His history of misfortune at the track, and his recent retirement while in the lead in last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix looked ominous for Charles Leclerc’s weekend at Monaco. However, he has impressed and looked supreme all weekend.

He topped 2 of the 3 practice sessions and has qualified on pole, an impressive +0.225 ahead of his teammate Carlos Sainz. He was even on for a much better lap during his final run, having topped his previous first sector time by -0.165 seconds. But Sergio Perez’s crash at turn 8 (Portier) brought out a red flag, which spelled the end of qualifying. Title rival Max Verstappen was also unable to complete his lap, as well as Carlos Sainz, who had even worse luck, and went rear first into Sergio Perez’s right front tire.

Speaking after the qualifying, Leclerc was incredibly happy with the pole position, even if he was slightly disappointed by not being able to complete his final run.

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On being asked about his Monaco ‘curse’, Charles Leclerc shrugged it off.

The Monegasque driver said: “No, no, no…I’m not superstitious at all. We’ve had a smooth weekend until now and we’re starting in the best place possible for tomorrow’s race so hopefully we have a clean race tomorrow, and we finally have a good result at home.” Indeed, pole position is always a blessing at Monaco, perhaps more so than any other track.

Charles Leclerc would be hoping to put the talk of his Monaco ‘curse’ to bed tomorrow, and in doing so will hope to regain the lead in the Drivers Championships, after Max Verstappen had snatched it from him in Spain.

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