Perhaps Charles Leclerc, with a good start and a conservative strategy, could have won the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. But Scuderia Ferrari still placed Carlos Sainz in second place with a car that looks really different from the one that was struggling last season. The results of the Monegasque weekend arrived with merit and there is no doubt that now, after reflecting on what has happened, the Maranello team knows they will have to be ready to take advantage of the next opportunities. Another extraordinary weekend could happen: and if in 2020 Ferrari was not in a position to fight, at least this Red team can hope for some positive moments.
“Yes, of course, there are positive aspects: a car that is finally competitive, even if on an atypical circuit, Carlos Sainz’s second place finish, Charles Leclerc’s pole position, team spirit and congratulations from President John Elkann. Ferrari leaves the Principality with many good feelings, but with such a big doubt: could the issue on Charles Leclerc’s car have been discovered and repaired in the morning, during the gearbox checks? An examination in Maranello of all the disassembled pieces will allow to identify the broken one and to understand why it was not discovered immediately. It remains to be understood why, as a safety procedure, the drive shaft, the upright holder and the pieces around it have not been replaced even on the left side of the machine” – La Stampa wrote.
“From the words of Charles Leclerc, pronounced after having to surrender in Monte Carlo, there was a dominant pride, stronger than regret. Also for this reason it is not easy to measure a weekend that contains a rare and re-emerged brilliance of Ferrari, mixed with the disappointment of a missed victory. The one that could have been brought home by Charles Leclerc starting from pole. Carlos Sainz performance showed that a win would have been within Charles’ reach, as the Spaniard took his first red podium after a race at the pace of the winner. He too was penalized, at the height of the paradox, by Charles’ mistake in qualifying. […]Unfortunately or fortunately there are no alternatives, no compromise is possible. Anyone who is fully aware of their enormous talent dares and risks, especially if forced to drive for a long time in conditions of technical inferiority. Senna, the young Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, are alike. Also for this Charles does not repent.” – writes Giorgio Terruzzi in the Corriere della Sera, extending a hand to the Monegasque who has only half done a feat in his home land.
“The Monte Carlo Grand Prix is a novel with strong and contrasting colors for Ferrari. 2nd place for Carlos Sainz, first podium for him at the wheel of the Maranello team and first for the Scuderia in this strange 2021, six months after the last time (Vettel in Turkey). But also the retirement of Charles Leclerc, who, after a daring pole ended with a bang at the swimming pools. Half happy, Charles, who follows the race as a spectator in the hospitality, goes to hug Carlos at the end of the race and applauds him under the podium.” La Repubblica wrote.
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