Leclerc's Monza Fight Capped by "Worse Than Expected" Ferrari Pace

Charles Leclerc battled fiercely in front of the passionate tifosi at Monza, but ultimately had to settle for fourth place. Ferrari's pace proved "worse than expected" on a day when McLaren and Red Bull were clearly superior.

Why it matters

Ferrari's home Grand Prix, the Italian GP, is always a crucial event. Despite Leclerc's determined performance, the team's inability to challenge for a podium highlighted their current position behind Red Bull and McLaren, managing expectations for the rest of the season.

The Race

Leclerc was in the thick of the action during the opening laps, engaging in a thrilling duel with McLaren's Oscar Piastri. The two drivers traded positions multiple times before Piastri managed to pull away.

• Early Battle: Leclerc and Piastri exchanged overtakes in a spirited fight.
• Pace Deficit: Leclerc admitted, "They just had more pace than I did. I tried things that I think weren’t in the car and I lost the rear multiple times."
• Settling In: After Piastri and the front-runners pulled ahead, Leclerc managed the gap to George Russell of Mercedes, securing a solitary fourth-place finish, just over four seconds behind Piastri.

Post-Race Reflection

Leclerc expressed no regrets, having pushed the car to its limits, but acknowledged the underlying issue.

"I tried. I don’t have any regrets. Unfortunately today the pace of the car was a little bit worse than what we expected."

This result underscores Ferrari's current standing: competitive enough to contend, but often lacking the raw pace to consistently beat McLaren, let alone Red Bull, on pure merit.

Looking Ahead

Despite the Monza disappointment, Leclerc is already looking forward to circuits that might suit Ferrari better in the final eight races of the season. He pointed to specific venues with cautious optimism:

• Baku: A track Leclerc loves and has been strong at, but where race pace is crucial due to easy overtaking.
• Singapore: A circuit where qualifying is paramount and overtaking is challenging, potentially favoring Ferrari's single-lap strength.
• Las Vegas: Another street circuit with similar characteristics to Singapore, offering a potential opportunity.

"I think Singapore, maybe Baku and Las Vegas, maybe are the three tracks we’re closer to winning a race but that doesn’t mean we go there as favourites. We go there as third favourites."

What's next

Monza served as a clear indicator of Ferrari's current package – demonstrating both its strengths in Leclerc's fighting spirit and its shortcomings in overall race pace. Leclerc's determination will be vital as Ferrari aims for redemption and a long-awaited victory on more favorable tracks.