F1 | Ferrari, Leclerc and Sainz excited for the Monaco challenge

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were the last pair of drivers to meet the media in the usual press conferences on the media day, normally on Thursday, but in Monaco on Wednesday since, as per tradition, the cars will take to the track already tomorrow for free practice.

Landlord. As the only driver native to Monaco, Charles is the most anticipated of all the protagonists, even if his results in the Principality so far have never been worth remembering: “I never reached Q3 and, even in Formula 2, I never saw the checkered flag waving from the cockpit, but I still believe I drove some great parts of the race. Let's say that so far I haven't had much luck, who knows, maybe good luck will give me something back this year...". Leclerc, answering a question, tries to imagine what it would mean to triumph at home, but he also knows that it is good to stay with his feet on the ground: “Obviously winning would be something incredible, because never more than for a driver from Monaco to prevail in this race really means winning at home: my country is so small that each of us knows every corner of it and has memories linked to daily life when we travel the circuit. But we have to be realistic – states the Monegasque –, we must not let ourselves be deceived by the third sector of Barcelona: as always, our rivals will be in the group behind the two teams at the top of the championship, it is unthinkable to go and fight for the top positions if there are no hitches in their weekend".

Positive tradition. Unlike Charles, Carlos has always achieved good results in Monte Carlo: “I have always finished in the points in Formula 1 on this track, but I must admit that the Principality has always done me well, since 2008 when I won the Monaco Kart Cup. I believe and hope that I will also be able to do well in my first appearance with the Ferrari colors, we have prepared and I am convinced that we can be competitive", he has declared. The Spaniard then also returned to the topic of chemistry with the SF21: “I believe that this track will be able to give us a good perception of the level of my apprenticeship with the Ferrari car: coming from my previous team I found the SF21 completely different from all the single-seaters I have driven in my career and this required particular attention on my part. commitment to adapting. The Monte Carlo circuit highlights the driver's confidence with the car and I hope that this weekend will be able to offer good indications in this sense."

Program. The single-seaters will take to the track for the first time tomorrow, for the two hours of free practice scheduled for 11.30am CET and 15pm. After a Friday with the engines off, qualifying will be on Saturday at 15pm, preceded at 12pm by the last free practice session. The 78th Monaco Grand Prix will start at 15pm on Sunday. There are 78 laps of the 3.337 meter circuit to go, equal to 260,286 kilometres.