F1 | Ferrari, Leclerc: “It's great to race where I grew up”

The Monte Carlo weekend will never be the same as many others Charles Leclerc. In fact, among the streets of the Principality, the Monegasque will take on the role of the home driver for the first time in the red Ferrari suit: "It will be special – he underlined in the press conference -. They're used to Monte Carlo, during the year they don't stop you in the city. It's great to run a race where I grew up and this excites me so much. They are the same streets where I used to take the bus to go to school, but now tackling them in an F1 car is incredible".

On the charm that a track like Montecarlo offers: “In no other circuit have I experienced the same sensations in qualifying. the best moment of the weekend for a driver”. On possible twists, represented for example by rain, a variable present in some editions, he added: "Here it's usually a lottery in the dry, let alone in the wet. I would be happy if they changed the tables in qualifying, but it doesn't happen often here".

On the first memory linked to the Monaco GP: “In Turn 1, a friend and I were watching the race and observing the Ferraris and Schumacher. I dreamed of being here one day".

Speaking about the two days of testing, which took place last Tuesday and Wednesday on the Montmelò track, Leclerc said: “We have understood some things, perhaps not enough to reach the level of Mercedes but we have worked and the engineers are still doing so to understand the problem. There is calm in the team, we work to grow. We are giving our best, there is serenity and it is important that it does not fail".

On Lauda: “I didn't get to talk to him much, but he left his mark and we won't forget him".

Piero Ladisa

Follow @PieroLadisa