Leclerc Disappointed with Home Race Finish, Ferrari Admits Need for Improvement

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had high hopes for the Monaco Grand Prix, his home race. However, those hopes were quickly dashed when he received a three-place grid penalty for impeding McLaren’s Lando Norris during qualifying, forcing him to start the race from P6. 

Despite the mix of dry and wet conditions during the race, Leclerc was unable to make up much ground on the tight and twisty streets of Monte Carlo. He finished where he started, in P6, admitting that the damage had been done by his post-qualifying penalty. 

In addition to the penalty, Leclerc also gave a downbeat assessment of Ferrari’s current level of performance. “We are not happy with where we are,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to recover performance, because for now we’re just too far away.” 

Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz followed him home in eighth, leaving Ferrari sitting fourth in the constructors’ standings behind Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Red Bull. Leclerc and Sainz currently hold sixth and seventh respectively in the drivers’ battle. 

It has been an underwhelming start to the season for Ferrari, who finished second in the constructors’ standings last year. Despite making progress at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, they have not yet managed to close the gap to their rivals at the front of the grid. 

Despite their struggles, there are still reasons for Ferrari to be optimistic. Leclerc has shown that he is capable of fighting at the front of the grid. 

In addition, Ferrari has a history of bouncing back from difficult periods. They finished sixth in the constructors’ standings in 2020, but have already made progress last year. 

The next race on the calendar is the Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place on June 4th. It will be another opportunity for Ferrari to show that they are making progress and closing the gap to their rivals at the front of the grid. 

Leclerc will be hoping to put his disappointment in Monaco behind him and fight for a podium finish in Spain. With a bit of luck and some improvement in performance, Ferrari could start to climb the constructors’ standings and challenge for victories later in the season.