GP: Monaco
Date: 26 May 2024
Winner: Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
The race report is soon dealt with. Leclerc and his Ferrari led from start to finish, having taken his third pole in the Principality, to put him on a par with Moss, Lauda and Schumacher.
But the cold facts hide a nail-biting story.
A tale of the local boy who despite several attempts and the occasional flashes of brilliance had never managed to finish even on the podium in his home Grand Prix, due to a seemingly unbelievable string of misfortunes. It was as though he was cursed, until what turned out to be the perfect weekend.
Charles fulfilled a childhood dream and repaid the fans for their support.
He was born here on 16 October 1997, the son of Hervé, a racer himself, who was his inspiration, but passed away in 2017.
Charles' rise through the ranks was meteoric: GP3 champion in 2016, GP2 champion in 2017, F1 debut in 2018 with Sauber then a step up to Ferrari in 2019, his first wins coming that same year at Spa and Monza.
Super quick, this Monaco pole was his 24th after which he went on to win again in Monza and in Austin, taking his win total to eight.
That's still not enough for him as he continues to chase that first world title, which would be well deserved.
In 2025 Pirelli will hit the 500 F1® Grands Prix mark during the season.
Legacy of Speed series looks back at the fifty most significant Grands Prix from Pirelli's time on the F1 World Championship trail.
