What a wonder Charles Leclerc is! He didn’t win, but he thrilled not only the Monte Carlo crowd, but also viewers around the world who witnessed a race full of frustrated emotions and predictable action, on a circuit that, under normal circumstances, namely not influenced purely by economic factors – would be challenged by drivers and teams alike. Because it is unacceptable for Formula 1 to race on a track where overtaking is impossible, where those with courage and perhaps even the right car must resign themselves to staying behind whoever is ahead. This does not mean that Charles Leclerc would have won, but in the chaos that unfolded, he might at least have had the chance to try, with his overflowing energy, his risks, and his talent. Today, Ferrari is him. And it is fair to ask: where would Ferrari be this year without Charles Leclerc? The answer is self-evident.
The Monegasque driver tried, but Lando Norris was relentless in holding onto the lead despite Charles Leclerc’s pressure that lasted for 28 laps, with Max Verstappen, the early leader, holding up the front-runners while hoping for a Safety Car that would allow him to make a second pit stop without losing ground. But no Safety Car appeared, and the Dutchman pitted on the penultimate lap, when Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc were right behind him. Then, in the final lap, the British driver pulled away, putting 3.1 seconds between himself and the Ferrari, because the McLaren had reserves to spend under normal conditions. Oscar Piastri finished third and retains the championship lead, but this win significantly boosts Norris’ confidence, and he’ll approach the upcoming races with a whole new mindset.
In truth, Lando Norris won on Saturday. And, unsurprisingly, despite the colorful yet ultimately useless and rushed idea of the two mandatory pit stops, the top four positions ended up being the same as before the race. In other words, nothing changed compared to the past. Actually, one thing did: spectators in the stands were completely baffled, faced with complicated and obscure strategies that make no sense to anyone not inside the pit boxes or remote garages analyzing millions of data points.
Amid a whirlwind of mostly unintelligible strategies, fourth place went to Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull wasn’t particularly impressive this time. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, 51 seconds behind. Thanks to a careful pit strategy, he managed to overtake the excellent Isack Hadjar (sixth), while Fernando Alonso lacked pace and eventually retired. Needless to say, his grid penalty severely compromised his race.
In any case, Ferrari did well to seize the opportunity offered by a circuit where its inherent weaknesses are less exposed. Charles Leclerc elevated the car’s performance, while Lewis Hamilton did what he could — which was little — given the conditions he was in.
Now comes Spain, a race eagerly awaited by Ferrari because there is hope that the directive on flexible wings, which everyone uses, to be clear, could give them a boost. We’ll see. The reality is that this McLaren is strong everywhere and is pulling ahead in the championship, so a direct and risky clash between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris may not be far off — perhaps as early as next Sunday, when Formula 1 returns to a proper track, after a venue like Monaco, which offers the most exhilarating driving challenge in qualifying. But which then, on Sunday, becomes an insult to logic, to the show, to technology, and to the immense investments made by some of the world’s largest automotive groups. Yet glamour and celebrities – who clearly understood none of it but were there to be seen – make everyone forget. And everything carries on as if nothing happened.
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