Charles Leclerc pessimistic about Ferrari's chances in Monaco: 'Exposes our weaknesses'

Last year, the 27-year-old took a hugely emotional home win on the streets of the principality, one of two wins he took during the 2024 campaign.

However, 2025 has been a hugely disappointing year for the Scuderia and the Monagasque driver so far, with only one podium in the first seven races of the season for Leclerc behind the wheel of the SF-25

Next weekend, the iconic Grand Prix in Monte Carlo is on the agenda, the second race of the European tripleheader. However, after taking, arguably, his greatest win in F1 so far last year, Leclerc is far from certain of a good result in this edition. How does he think Ferrari will perform?

"It will be a very difficult weekend. I think Monaco is exposing quite a few weaknesses of our car. So I don't know. But there are also many things that you cannot really expect in Monaco, the amount of risk you take in qualifying. The car is set up in a very different way," Leclerc said in the paddock of Imola to several media sources, including GPblog.

So, how will Ferrari try and turn what could be another disappointing weekend with just a week's break between races?

"By working hard, I mean this is the answer, but that's what we are doing. I don't think there's any silver bullet to the situation we are in. We just need to work and try to understand where this problem that we have in qualifying comes from, which is what is slowing us down at the moment, the Saturdays," continued the Monagasque.

At the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Leclerc battled hard to get from P11 to P6 in front of the Tifosi, but his race ended with a whimper.

For a long time, the 27-year-old was being chased by the Williams of Alexander Albon in P5 for a significant period, and when the Thai-British driver attempted to overtake for P4, Leclerc pushed his off the track while Albon looked for a move around the outside.

Albon went into the gravel and dropped down to P6, but Leclerc was under investigation from the stewards, meaning he was required to give Albon the position back.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had already passed both drivers, causing Leclerc to drop back to P6 after giving Albon P5 on the final lap.

"I think we've got to accept it. And when you are penalised for something, you've just got to accept it. And there will never be a rule book that describes absolutely every situation. And even if there is, it will be impossible for us to remember all those rules for those different situations," concluded Leclerc.