Often termed as “playing chess at 300kmph”, Formula 1 is considered as one of the most dynamic motorsports out there. The serendipity of outcomes make this sport special. However, some instances form a pattern that fans like to call a curse. Be it Norris’ no-win curse or Leclerc’s Monaco curse, people expected these so-called curses to outweigh the driver’s fate. However, the 2024 Formula 1 season has different plans. Lando Norris is finally a race winner and Chales Leclerc won the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Leclerc winning the Monaco Grand Prix is a big event. He became the first Monegasque driver to win the homerace, after the Formula 1 introduction. The first Monegasque driver to ever win in Monaco was Louis Chiron who stood on the top spot in 1931, way before the Formula 1 era that came into action only after 1950. Other Monegasque drivers — André Testut, Olivier Beretta and Robert Doornbos tried to wrestle their cars around the narrow streets of Monaco to clinch the win but didn’t find success.
Charles Leclerc overcame the Monaco curse, by finishing the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix first. The Monaco Grand Prix result is often considered to fall in favour of the pole sitter on a Saturday. Leclerc perfectly carved his SF-24 race car through the narrow streets of Monaco, tightly escaping from Oscar Piastri, who took the front row start. Straight off the bat, Leclerc maintained his lead throughout the entire Grand Prix, leaving the chaos unfolding in the back.
Oscar Piastri tried his best to grab the lead from Leclerc, coming perilously close to the Monegasque on a couple of occasions. However, the shimmering win in Leclerc’s eyes overpowered Piastri’s sheer speed, who in his own right, had a fantastic race, closely followed by Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. It is worth mentioning that the top 10 drivers finished at the same spot they started, resulting in zero overtakes among the top 10 racers.
“I realised actually two laps to the end that I was struggling to see out of the tunnel just because I had tears in my eyes,” said Leclerc. “I was like… ‘Charles, you cannot do that now. You still have two laps to finish” said Leclerc at the post-race interaction. Recalling memories with his dad, the Monegasque driver said, “It’s probably the first time in my career that it happened again while driving, where you’ve got these flashbacks of all these moments that we have spent together, all the sacrifices that he has done for me to get to where I am,” he said. “It was both of our dreams to get there… That was, again, as I said earlier, probably the moment that was the most difficult to manage today.”
Thanks to an outstanding qualifying lap, the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix was an easy race for Leclerc. However, the past races for the Monegasque were far from perfect. The “Leclerc curse” in Monaco became a popular narrative shrouding Charles Leclerc’s repeated misfortune at his home Grand Prix. It wasn’t just bad luck; it was a series of setbacks that amplified the sting of defeat, especially considering Leclerc’s connection to the track.
Leclerc, a native Monegasque, practically grew up racing on the very streets that formed the iconic Formula One circuit. The tight corners and unforgiving walls of Monte Carlo were his playground, and local fans naturally yearned to see him conquer his home turf. This intense desire for victory, coupled with Leclerc’s undeniable talent, only heightened the sense of disappointment when things went wrong.
The curse began to take shape in 2018, with Leclerc’s promising debut at Monaco ending abruptly due to a brake failure. This early retirement foreshadowed a string of frustrations. In 2019, Ferrari’s qualifying strategy backfired, leaving Leclerc far back on the grid and dashing his hopes for a strong showing.
The narrative truly solidified in 2021. Leclerc secured pole position, putting him in prime position to finally claim victory. However, a cruel twist of fate intervened. A driveshaft failure right before the race meant Leclerc couldn’t even take the starting grid, leaving a heartbroken driver and disappointed fans.
2022 offered a glimmer of hope with another pole position for Leclerc. This time, he led the race initially, but Ferrari’s strategy gamble with an ill-timed pit stop sent him tumbling down the order. He finished a distant fourth, once again falling short of that elusive Monaco win and missing the chance of standing on the podium.
The back story and the sheer amount of hardships make this win truly special. Prince Albert, prince of Monaco, had tears in his eyes upon seeing Charles Leclerc holding the victory trophy. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Leclerc didn’t shed a tear on the podium but made the world cry with its perseverance to rise on his home turf.