After securing his first home victory in Monaco, Charles Leclerc expressed his disbelief in the so-called “Monaco Curse” that had previously hindered his success in his home Grand Prix. Despite numerous challenges and disappointments in past races, Leclerc maintained a positive outlook and finally triumphed on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Until this year, Leclerc’s best finish in Monaco was a fourth place in 2022. Prior attempts were marred by retirements and two instances where he secured pole positions but failed to convert them into victories. In 2021, Leclerc clinched pole position but was unable to start the race due to a technical issue. In 2022, despite starting from the front row with his teammate Carlos Sainz, strategic errors by Ferrari resulted in Sainz finishing third and Leclerc fourth.
Reflecting on these past experiences, Leclerc said, “I never believed in this curse. But it has always been difficult for me to win here, especially in the two cases when I took pole positions. The first time, I didn’t even start the race. In 2022, we didn’t make the right decisions during the race, and it was very disappointing to miss out on those two victories.”