One year after securing a landmark home race victory, Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc returned to the Monaco GP podium, this time stepping onto the second step. Despite an impressive display throughout the 2025 F1 Monaco GP weekend, Leclerc expressed disappointment after falling short of a consecutive home win.
The Monégasque driver dominated all three Free Practice sessions, demonstrating superior pace and control on the streets of Monte Carlo. However, the outcome of Saturday’s Qualifying session proved pivotal. Leclerc missed out on pole position, a loss that ultimately hindered his chances of repeating his 2024 triumph.
Loss of pole sealed race fate
When asked during his parc fermé interview whether he felt satisfied with his second-place finish, Leclerc responded candidly: “Not really.” He conceded that Ferrari faced considerable challenges on Monaco’s narrow circuit, where overtaking remains notoriously difficult. According to Leclerc, the team’s real opportunity for victory slipped away the day before.
Although disheartened, Leclerc acknowledged that starting from pole could have dramatically altered the race’s dynamics. Given the track’s tight layout and the strategic complexity of the event, gaining positions proved almost impossible once the lights went out.
“But at the end of the day, I mean, we lost the race yesterday, and we should have done a better job,” he admitted.
Praise for Norris
Despite the outcome, Leclerc showed sportsmanship by commending the performance of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who secured a well-earned victory in the 2025 F1 Monaco GP.
“Lando did a better job this weekend, and he deserves the win,” Leclerc affirmed, recognising the McLaren driver’s superior execution across the weekend.
Reflecting further on his own performance, Leclerc admitted that the final result surpassed his own expectations. Although he deeply wished to repeat last year’s victory, he acknowledged the strides made by Ferrari.
“And on my side, yeah, I realised a childhood dream last year. Not this year, but considering everything, I think it’s a lot above our expectations coming here. I thought that being in the top ten would be a challenge. At the end, we are second, very close to P1. So, it’s been a good weekend overall, but yeah, I wish I won.”
Verstappen’s tactics helped Leclerc put pressure on Norris
Leclerc described his experience during the race as initially uneventful but later exhilarating. According to him, the first stages lacked action due to the necessity of preserving tyre temperatures and managing car conditions. Nevertheless, the closing laps offered greater excitement as he mounted pressure on Norris.
Leclerc noted that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen attempted a long stint, likely in anticipation of a red flag. This tactic indirectly enabled Leclerc to close the gap to Norris, increasing the tension during the race’s climax, though it ultimately did not result in a change of position.
“Oh, it was good as well from inside the car, because before that it was a little bit boring. I had to leave a gap to Lando, because otherwise I would overheat everything, so I couldn’t be so close. Then when I saw Max was playing the long game, I guess he was waiting for a red flag, that helped me a little bit to put a bit more pressure on Lando, but it wasn’t enough.”
A heartfelt message to Monaco
Despite his frustration, Leclerc took a moment to address the passionate support of his fellow Monégasques. Their presence and encouragement along the Monte Carlo streets, he explained, remained deeply meaningful to him.
“As I always say, as a Ferrari driver, we are very lucky, we get support everywhere, but being born here and seeing all the Monégasques behind me is something very special. We are not many Monégasques, but it warms my heart very much to be at home and to have so much support. So, I wish I had given them the first place, but hopefully next year.”
