Charles Leclerc reacts to rivals’ Monaco Grand Prix pole position predictions

Charles Leclerc has played down rivals’ predictions of a fourth Monaco Grand Prix pole position, insisting Ferrari must still contend with Mercedes’ dominant W17.

Leclerc returns home to Monaco for round six of the F1 2026 championship, with the Ferrari driver chasing a fourth pole position on the streets in six years, but only his second win in that time.

Charles Leclerc cautious over Ferrari Monaco pole predictions

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Although Leclerc has shown great pace around his local streets, he has been battered by his Monaco curse time and again.

He secured his first pole position at home in 2021 but wasn’t able to start the race as Ferrari discovered he had damaged his gearbox in a late Q3 crash.

He lined up P1 a year later but lost time when Ferrari botched his strategy by calling him into the pits only to tell him to stay out when he was already on his way in. He had to double-stack behind his teammate Carlos Sainz. Leclerc labelled it a “freaking disaster”.

He eventually converted a pole position into a Monaco Grand Prix win in 2024, in the slowest procession ever seen on the streets of Monte Carlo after an early red flag meant everyone changed tyres as they lined up in the pit lane and didn’t have to pit again. Leclerc controlled the pace to win in 2h23m15.

The eight-time Grand Prix winner’s rivals are expecting another Leclerc, or at least Ferrari, pole position this weekend.

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“Honestly, I think the Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco,” said reigning world champion Norris, while championship leader Kimi Antonelli claims “Ferrari’s going to be the team to beat in Monaco”.

Told his rivals are betting on Ferrari this weekend, Leclerc replied with a laugh: “Okay… I don’t know if you can bet.”

Asked if he shared his rivals’ confidence in Ferrari being the team to beat, Leclerc downplayed that claim, although he does accept Monaco could be Ferrari’s best chance at a pole position.

“We need to be careful,” he insisted.

“I think Mercedes is a very, very, very strong team and a very all-rounded team, whether it’s in corners or on the straight.

“If there’s one race this year where I feel we could have more of a shot at pole, [it] will be Monaco, and I hope it can be the case.”

Ferrari has yet to claim a qualifying P1 this season, for either a Grand Prix or a Sprint. So far every one bar Miami’s Sprint has gone the way of Mercedes, with Norris P1 on the grid in the short race at Miami.

The Scuderia has also yet to win a Sprint or a Grand Prix.

It means while Ferrari is hanging onto second place in the Constructors’ Championship, the team is on 147 points, 72 behind championship leader Mercedes. McLaren, in third, has 106 points.

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