MONTE CARLO – Charles Leclerc blames Ferrari for letting Monaco Grand Prix slide over his finger on Sunday.
Monaco-born Leclerc comfortably led his home race until the first pit stop when eventual winner Sergio Perez was able to get a jump on him after puncturing the previous two laps for an intermediate tyre. .
Leclerc remained in a good position to challenge Perez until he was called to the second pit stop three laps later at the same time teammate Carlos Sainz made one.
When he turned his head to stop, Ferrari abruptly reversed course and yelled at him to get away, but it was too late because Leclerc had already driven into the piston lane.
An energetic message followed from Leclerc and he is behind Max Verstappen in fourth place where he will finish.
At the end of the race, Leclerc told Ferrari: “No words. I know the season is long, but we can’t do it.”
This is the second year in a row that Leclerc has not been able to convert the pole position into a victory at his home race.
“It was a horrible disaster today,” Leclerc said after the race. “The victory is clearly in our hands: we had the performance, we have everything. I just don’t really understand my strength and I need to explain it now.
“There’s not much I can do, I was called right before the last corner, so I couldn’t react or ask for any information, but it was clearly the wrong choice… We needed to be good. than.”
Perez and Verstappen retained their positions on the podium after a Ferrari protest was rejected by the managers.
Leclerc had a comfortable start to the season but is now nine points behind Verstappen.
