Charles Leclerc reckons Monaco is the perfect track for Ferrari to shine, but still thinks Mercedes holds the edge this weekend after a dominant start to Formula 1 in 2026.
The Silver Arrows has won all five grands prix this year which leaves it with a 72-point advantage over second-placed Ferrari who is a step ahead of McLaren in third.
But this weekend might be the toughest challenge yet for Mercedes because while it holds a horsepower advantage, it is the low-speed corners where Ferrari is strong.
So it is widely believed that the characteristics of the tight Monaco street circuit should give the Scuderia the edge, but Leclerc isn’t getting ahead of himself for his home race.
“No,” he said, when asked if he agrees with the Ferrari favourite tag. “I think we are in a better place. If there’s one track I will bet on us, it’s probably Monaco.
“However, I still believe that Mercedes have had a significant advantage since the beginning of the year. So I think they will be very, very strong. I think McLaren will be very strong as well. I think Red Bull will be very strong.
“But it’s true that on the other tracks so far, we’ve been struggling quite a bit in the straights, which should be less of a problem and we have a good, strong package chassis-wise and aero-wise.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
“So I think it could help us. But Mercedes, I think, will still remain the team to beat.”
One of the individuals to have placed the favourite tag on Ferrari is McLaren driver Lando Norris, who claimed last time out in Canada that “their low-speed performance is far better”.
The reigning world champion still holds some optimism for this weekend though having won the Monaco Grand Prix last year – but added that McLaren should remain third in the pecking order.
“Our run into this weekend last year was probably a little bit better than we’ve had this year,” said Norris, who retired with a gearbox problem in Montreal.
“So maybe not quite to the level it was last season. But I think we’re optimistic. We still want to come in with hopes of trying to achieve a pole and trying to achieve a win – that’s still the goals we want to set ourselves.
“But Ferrari and Mercedes have obviously been very strong, Mercedes even more so. So we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, we don’t want to be too optimistic.
“But at the same time, we want to come into weekends at the minute. I think we’ve given ourselves the chance to come into weekends with the belief that it’s possible, and that’s the way we want to stay for now.”
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