NEW DELHI: Charles Leclerc finally broke his Monaco Grand Prix curse on Sunday as Red Bull experienced a rare off weekend, with Max Verstappen finishing sixth and Sergio Perez crashing out on the first lap.
Leclerc ended years of frustration at his home race by securing victory from pole position at his third attempt in Monte Carlo.
Overcome with emotion, a tearful Leclerc said, "No words can explain this. It means a lot, it's the race that made me dream of becoming a F1 driver. Tonight is going to be a big night!"
McLaren's Oscar Piastri followed Leclerc across the line, with Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari finishing third.
Leclerc had previously started from the front of the grid at his home circuit in 2021 and 2022 but was thwarted by misfortune on both occasions. This time, Ferrari, now operating more smoothly under Fred Vasseur, executed a flawless race strategy, allowing Leclerc to dictate the pace from the front.
However, drama ensued on the first lap when a red flag stopped the race due to a three-car pile-up. Perez's Red Bull was heavily damaged after spinning from a collision with Kevin Magnussen's Haas. Nico Hulkenberg in the other Haas was also caught up in the crash.
The race was interrupted for about 30 minutes to clear the debris. Along with the three crash victims, Alpine's Esteban Ocon also retired following a collision with his teammate Pierre Gasly.
Despite the chaos, Leclerc maintained his lead and clinched a popular victory.
With Verstappen only managing a sixth-place finish, Leclerc moved to within 31 points of the Dutchman in the championship standings ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in two weeks.
(With AFP inputs)The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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