First in the morning session and second in the afternoon, but with the clear feeling that Ferrari could truly fight for a major result in Monaco. That is the summary of Charles Leclerc’s first day at his home Grand Prix, although the Monegasque has not yet found the final key to extract those last tenths that, at least on Friday, went in favour of his teammate.
Just like in Canada, the Ferrari driver once again faced annoying braking issues in Monte Carlo, which reduced his confidence on corner entry — a crucial aspect on the streets of the Principality. While Montreal is a more stop-and-go layout, Monaco features several high-commitment braking zones where absolute confidence is required, not only to slow the car but also to properly set up corner entry speed.
These problems inevitably limited his potential, especially in the afternoon session, despite the team working hard to find a definitive solution. In Canada, before the race, Ferrari had already replaced braking materials, but that was clearly not enough as the same issue has reappeared here in Monaco.
“Unfortunately, it’s been two weekends now that I’ve had brake problems and at the moment I’m really struggling in that area. We are trying to find a solution, but so far we haven’t found it. We will keep working and try to make a step forward for tomorrow. In FP2 I simply lost a bit of confidence for this reason, but we are working on it,” said the Monegasque after FP2.
It is no coincidence that the Ferrari driver also had a few off-track moments during the day, including one already on his first lap of FP1 when the brakes were still cold. It is an area that will need careful attention ahead of tomorrow, because at a circuit like Monaco, confidence is the fine line that separates pole position from the barriers.
“It’s a very complicated situation, it’s a combination of factors, and Monaco obviously doesn’t help. But I’m not particularly confident with the brakes, and that’s why in the last two races I’ve made a few more mistakes under braking, with some lock-ups: everything has become much more difficult.”
It is clear that things can change quickly in Monaco, because the real limit will only emerge in the final laps of Q3, when drivers go all-in for those last precious tenths. But the first two sessions of the weekend confirmed that Ferrari is indeed at the front and has a real chance to fight for a strong result, as Monte Carlo is highlighting the strengths of this car.
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