Why can Ferrari achieve pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix?

Was it Charles Leclerc Would he do it again? That's certainly a legitimate question, on the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix, his home race for the Ferrari driver. Although the last Montreal race was described by the driver himself as "one of the worst of (his) career," the fact remains that the Team progresses, and proves it in particular by the recurring return to form of Lewis Hamilton since the Chinese Grand Prix.

After a few Grands Prix, a trend is becoming clear. While the Italian engine is somewhat behind in performance, the chassis, notably developed by Loïc Serra, compensates for some of the deficit accumulated on the straights, thanks to its excellent cornering ability. In Monaco, where engine boosts will be limited and overtaking will be prohibited, it seems that the weapons of Mercedes Benz are diminishing compared to the rest of the field. In this context, where recharging will exceed the amount of energy needed to deploy per lap, this element will not become the differentiating factor it is elsewhere.

To cap off a great week for Leclerc?

On the other hand, the fact remains that Kimi Antonelli, and especially George Russell, have never had the opportunity to shine at Monaco. For Ferrari, however, the situation is quite different. In the Monegasque camp, Charles Leclerc boasts three pole positions (2021, 2022, and 2024) and one victory (achieved in 2024), while Lewis Hamilton has two pole positions (2015 and 2019) and two wins, dating back to 2016 and 2019.

Driver with the most pole positions in Monaco on the current grid Formula 1Charles Leclerc is also one of the last three to have won this unique Grand Prix, following in the footsteps of world champions Max Verstappen and Lando NorrisHowever, the Ferrari driver has a less impressive statistic. Indeed, the last two times the pole-sitter failed to win the race on Sunday in Monaco were in 2021 and 2022… the same years as Charles Leclerc missed two opportunities, failing to convert his two consecutive pole positions into victories.

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Even before discussing victory, Ferrari, like its rivals, hopes that the Monaco Grand Prix will be the first opportunity to get the better of a Mercedes that is currently uncatchable. In qualifying, and even in Free Practice, the Scuderia's ability to dominate the top spots on the timesheets could well indicate a setup decidedly more suited to its strengths.