Charles Leclerc shares his biggest concern ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix

Michelle Foster
Charles Leclerc gets close to the barrier. Monaco May F1 2023 results.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc gets up close to the barrier at the apex of Casino Square. Monaco May 2023.

Relegated to sixth on the Monaco Grand Prix grid, Charles Leclerc admits he needs a “bit more luck” than he’s had in past seasons if he wants to fight for the win.

On pole position the past two seasons, Leclerc didn’t make the start grid in 2021 when Ferrari discovered a crack in his driveshaft after his reconnaissance lap while last season a botched strategy on a damp track dropped him from first to fourth.

This year he’ll be starting sixth after the Monégasque driver qualified third only to be slapped with a three-place grid drop for blocking Lando Norris.

“I guess a little bit more luck than the other years [is needed],” Leclerc admitted to the official F1 website.

“Apart from that, I don’t know how is the [weather] forecast. Yesterday it looked like maybe we may have some rain, and if it’s the case, anything is possible.

“I will go for it anyway and we will see where we end up.”

Rain is expected on Sunday but the current forecast suggests it may only arrive near the end of the grand prix, if not even afterwards.

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But while rain is not a certainty, a bouncing Ferrari is with Leclerc complaining about that after qualifying.

With Ferrari not permitted to change his car’s set-up under parc ferme conditions, the local favourite is facing a difficult 78 laps on Sunday.

“I’m not satisfied, but on the other hand we need to look at the situation we are in with the car,” he said.

“It was a very tricky qualifying, but weekend especially, for me. I’ve struggled a lot with the car; we struggled a lot on bumps compared to other cars.”

“The bouncing at Turn 3 and 13 was terrible,” he added. “You can see in the on-board how much my head was being thrown around.

“Basically you released the brakes and just waited to see what happened. I did not have the good feeling with the car I had here last year.”

Leclerc has yet to win a grand prix this season, his best result of the championship a P3 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.