Martin Brundle says downbeat Charles Leclerc knows something Lewis Hamilton doesn’t at Monaco Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc enters this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix with a weight lifted. He finally beat the ‘curse’ to win last year.

Leclerc failed to convert his first two pole positions at his home race, but he cruised to victory last year. That surely reduces the pressure on the Ferrari driver for 2025.

But the 27-year-old was noticeably downbeat as he appeared in the pre-race press conference on Thursday. Ferrari are currently fourth in the constructors’ championship and have only scored one podium this year (courtesy of Leclerc in Saudi Arabia).

This year, every driver will be required to make two pit stops in the race, which could create strategic chaos. But Leclerc still doesn’t expect Ferrari to be in the mix.

Asked about the chances of repeating his 2024 win, he said: “I mean, if you want an honest answer, then low, because unfortunately our car hasn’t been particularly strong in low-speed corners. And there’s only low-speed corners here in Monaco.

“So on paper, it doesn’t look like the most promising track for us. But Monaco is so unique and so different from anything we race on over the season that we can have a good surprise once we put the car down tomorrow.”

Martin Brundle explains why Lewis Hamilton is more ‘gung-ho’ than Charles Leclerc at Monaco Grand Prix

By contrast, Leclerc’s teammate Lewis Hamilton sounded ‘gung-ho’ in his Thursday media duties. He’s excited to don F1’s most iconic colours at the sport’s most iconic circuit.

“I have for years always wondered what a Ferrari would feel like around this track,” he told Sky Sports.

Speaking on Sky’s live Monaco Grand Prix coverage, Martin Brundle hit on the reason for the different demeanours. Leclerc has a reference point, and he knows this year’s Ferrari isn’t equipped to repeat the success of previous campaigns.

Hamilton is allowing himself to dream of a fourth Monaco victory, or failing that, a first podium for Ferrari.

“I think Charles has obviously got the historical experience with Ferrari,” Brundle said. “He knows when the car’s working in different parts of the racetrack. He’s saying, ‘Look, this year we’ve got a car that’s good in high speed and not low speed, it’s the opposite to last year, that’s why we might struggle a bit here’.

“But the driver can make a little bit of a difference around here. I wouldn’t discount Ferrari at all.

“Lewis is obviously gung-ho because he’s mighty around this race track and he gets to drive a Ferrari.”

The strange thing Lewis Hamilton did in Monaco’s F1 fan zone

Rival engineers were surprised by how much Ferrari changed their car over the winter, according to Karun Chandhok. The overhaul was a gamble given that they came so close to winning the 2024 title.

But while Ferrari have gained some performance in high-speed, it’s nowhere near enough to offset what they’ve lost. As it stands, the team look unlikely to win a conventional Grand Prix this year.

Hamilton is still trying to enjoy the experience of fulfilling a childhood dream. He was delighted with a P4 at Imola, having started 12th on the grid.

Bizarrely, Hamilton was selective when signing Mercedes caps in the fan zone. He may have been wary of Ferrari’s commercial ties.