Charles Leclerc has stated that solving his one-lap struggles earlier in the 2024 Formula 1 season acted as the turning point that inspired his Monaco Grand Prix win.
Leclerc has been renowned as a low-fuel specialist since his debut season with Ferrari in 2019, but that searing pace had eluded him in the opening rounds this term.
Despite having been the pacesetter through practice in Australia, Leclerc slipped up when it mattered and Carlos Sainz capitalised to head a breakthrough Ferrari 1-2.
The Ferrari driver would again encounter trouble at Suzuka on low-fuel conditions, compromising his race and seeing him lose out on third place to team-mate Sainz.
However, Leclerc had vowed to resolve his qualifying woes and he’s not been headed in the Ferrari intra-team battle since China, logging three podiums in that period.
With overtaking nigh-on impossible in Monaco and track position vital, Leclerc claimed a third pole on his home streets and converted it to take an emotional triumph.
“I feel that the turning point of the season has been a few races ago already,” Leclerc addressed. “We didn’t have quite the car to win a race in the last few races.
“However, we did here and I knew that the opportunity had to be taken. And I did. So on that, we did a really good job.
“I’ve had two qualifyings where I struggled at the beginning of the season. But from then, I worked on my qualifying pace.
“And since then, I’m extremely happy of the job we are doing. Really happy with how it goes. And I hope that this will bring us to many more wins.
However, Leclerc has cautioned that Ferrari should not get “carried away” with the result as Monte Carlo’s unique track characteristics provide an outlier on the roster.
“We shouldn’t get carried away,” he warned. “Obviously, Monaco is such a specific track. And I think we had a really good car this weekend.
“It doesn’t mean that it will stay like that until the end of the year.
“But looking back at the first few races of the season, I think we did a great job maximising all the races that we have done. We’ll keep it going.”
Leclerc has been the one driver to come home inside the top four in all eight races this campaign and his first win since July 2022 has brought him into title contention.
Red Bull’s troubles to unlock pace in Monaco saw Max Verstappen trail home sixth to see his gap reduced to 31 points, while Ferrari is 24 points short in the standings.
When he was told about the championship situation, Leclerc replied: “Oh, is it 31? Oh, somebody told me 23. So I was excited. 31 is okay. I mean, I’ll take it anyway.
“But it’s a bit more than what I’ve been told. So, yeah, it’s okay. But I don’t think about the championship for now anyway. And it’s still too early on in the season.
“I think the upgrades that we have brought in Imola, we have still to see how well they work and where it will bring us.
“And then it’s all about maximising all weekends. And then hopefully, little by little, we’ll get there.”
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