Victory in F1 qualifying for Monaco GP
Leclerc puts Verstappen in his place
25.05.2024, 17:18
Pole for the real Monegasque – can he now overcome the curse at his home race? Charles Leclerc makes use of the home advantage in his Ferrari and drives the fastest lap in qualifying. Things are not going well for the Monegasque-by-choice and world champion Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc only enjoyed the loud cheers of the fans in the harbor of his hometown for a short time. After his fabulous lap, the Ferrari star immediately concentrated on making one of his biggest sporting dreams come true at the Formula 1 classic in Monaco. “Victory is the goal,” said Leclerc.
In the afternoon, he secured first place on the grid in qualifying for the Grand Prix in the principality, thereby distancing himself from world champion Max Verstappen, who surprisingly had no chance in sixth place. “Whatever happens, we have to bring this home,” Leclerc demanded of himself and his team while still in his racing overalls.
For the Monegasque, it is already the third pole position in the city where he was born. However, he has not been able to take advantage of this in the race in the past. So far, the 2022 vice world champion is still without a win or podium finish on one of the most traditional tracks on the racing calendar. A lot of bad luck and also the inability of his team have prevented better results in the past.
Pole position in Monaco particularly important
“The emotions here are much more intense than anywhere else. I’m very, very happy, but I know that qualifying isn’t everything,” said Leclerc. “Everything has to come together in the race, and we haven’t always managed that recently.” Leclerc set the fastest lap in 1:10.270 minutes, ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren. Third place went to Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari. “I need a good start,” said Leclerc, who is also counting on his teammate Sainz. “If we go into the first corner in first and second place, we can manage the race as a team.”
The first place on the grid is particularly important in Monaco, as overtaking maneuvers in the Grand Prix are very difficult on the narrow asphalt strip on the Côte d’Azur. Before the eighth race of the season on Sunday (3 p.m./Sky), Verstappen is still clearly leading the World Championship standings with 161 points, ahead of Leclerc (113) and Sergio Perez (107) in the second Red Bull. Verstappen won on the Mediterranean coast last year and in 2021, and Perez was victorious on the challenging street circuit in 2022.
Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean sun, Verstappen missed the chance to become the first driver ever to secure first place on the grid for the ninth time in a row and got out of his otherwise strong car disappointed. Most recently in Imola, he had caught up with Ayrton Senna, who had already made it to the top of qualifying eight times in a row in 1988/1989.
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Pérez suffered a debacle. The third-placed driver in the World Championship was eliminated in the first qualifying session in 18th place and was still cursing his performance in the car. It was over just as early for veteran Fernando Alonso. The two-time world champion had no chance in his Aston Martin, finishing 16th. Nico Hülkenberg, the only German in the field, drove his Haas racing car to 12th place in his adopted home country.