Can Charles Leclerc finish on the podium at his home race in Monaco?

Formula 1 returns to the prestigious streets of Monte Carlo after a one-year absence from the Championship. Red Bull return to their happy hunting ground, while home-boy Charles Leclerc has high exceptions upon the tracks return.

The 3.337km street circuit is filled with famous corners that the drivers will circulate around a total of 78 times come the Grand Prix on Sunday. Drivers will be pushing to the limit, as the walls of Monte Carlo stare them straight in the face.

It’s a challenge that nearly all the drivers, forcing them to put their skills on the line and rewarding millimetric accuracy. Overtaking on the tight streets is incredibly hard with the 2003 race around Monaco witnessing a total of zero on-track overtakes.

The smallest of mistakes will have a massive consequence for any driver and their team as they soar towards the barrier. The lap time record is currently held by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton as he qualified with a 1:10.166 in 2019.

Monaco deputised in 1929 although it only joined the F1 World Championship in 1950 and it hasn’t left since 1955 with 2020 being a rarity due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Last time out in Barcelona, we witnessed an intense battle between the two championship protagonist Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. There were on-track overtakes but ultimately a strategic call ensured that the Mercedes driver could breeze past the Red Bull on fresher tyres.

The 36-year-old claimed victory in Spain – as he has on many an occasion – as he extended his championship lead to 14 points over Verstappen. Although the Dutchman will have high hopes this weekend as his team Red Bull return to one of their favoured tracks.

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When we last visited Monaco in 2019, it was Lewis Hamilton who won in his Niki Lauda inspired Mercedes livery ahead of Sebastian Vettel for Ferrari. The Brit was kept on his toes as Vettel finished just two seconds behind him and it’s safe to say qualifying will be massively important this weekend.

The podium was completed with Valtteri Bottas in third ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who was jumped by Vettel in the race. Pierre Gasly completed the top five as he maintained his position nearly 45 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor in Carlos Sainz.

It was an emotional weekend with many teams dedicating their weekend to the late passing of Niki Lauda. Mercedes ran an inspired halo for the weekend, while the likes of Hamilton and Vettel ran Niki Lauda inspired helmets, with a special message on the back.

Top Ten Prediction

1 – Max Verstappen

It’s safe to say that Red Bull has often been one of the superior outfits when attending the Monaco Grand Prix. Their sheer amount of downforce has put them in contention even when they don’t have the quickest overall package and it’s time for Max Verstappen to respond, making inroads in the Championship.

2 – Lewis Hamilton

The Brit will be clear of his competitors from behind but will be thinking of the bigger picture with the Championship in mind when it comes to any attempt in matching the sheer pace of Verstappen. Settling for second will be a good result for the reigning champion.

3 – Sergio Perez

There is a very good chance we could see Sergio Perez on the podium this weekend. If the Red Bull is as quick as expected then the Mexican should be able to battle the two Mercedes if he settles into the weekend early on.

4 – Charles Leclerc

Home town favourite Charles Leclerc will put behind his burden of never finishing a Monaco Grand Prix after four unsuccessful attempts. The bright starlet has matured a lot since moving to F1, it will repay him this weekend as he battles Perez for the final place on the podium.

5 – Lando Norris

After a difficult race last time out, we will see Norris return to his high standards and that will be pinpointed in qualifying as he failed to lose or gain a position in the race with a good qualifying. Another strong haul of points for the retro-liveried McLaren.

6 – Carlos Sainz

Another strong performance is expected from Carlos Sainz as his Ferrari is arguably suited to the streets of Monaco with their high downforce car and lack of straight-line speed. It has the potential to be a really impressive race for the Italian team.

7 – Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo is a massive fan of Monaco, as he got redemption with his win at Red Bull a matter of years ago. The Australian thrives with the walls to his side, it won’t be easy for him to replicate his high-end performances with his new team but seventh will suit the ‘Honey Badger’.

8 – Pierre Gasly

Gasly has spoken about the improvements AlphaTauri need to make this weekend. It will be a step in the right direction but he will be unable to challenge the top four teams. The Frenchman should have a quick car underneath him, it’s a matter of if he can extract the pace from the Red Bull sister team.

9 – Esteban Ocon

Esteban Ocon has been one of the most impressive drivers this season thus far with Alpine making huge improvements in recent weeks but this weekend could be a reality check. Monaco shouldn’t suit their car, a points finish will still be a good result for the team.

10 – Sebastian Vettel

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has always enjoyed driving around the streets of Monaco and hopefully, it will be a trip down memory lane during the race. His performances have been improving, especially in qualifying and that could be key if he scores points this weekend.

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