Leclerc laments Monaco GP 'disaster'

Charles Leclerc admitted his Monaco Grand Prix was a "disaster" after failing to finish his home race for the third year in a row. Gambling in his attempts to cut through the field from 15th on the grid, Leclerc caused significant damage to his car and retired after just 18 laps.

Leclerc was consigned to a Q1 exit in Saturday's qualifying as a result of Ferrari's dopy strategy, but looked punchy in the opening stages of the race.

Having overtaken Carlos Sainz at the hairpin and Romain Grosjean at La Rascasse, and attempt to do likewise to Nico Hulkenberg saw Leclerc clip the barriers and puncture his right-rear tyre.

In his rush back to the pits, Leclerc caused more damage to the floor of his SF90 and had to retire, as he did last year in F1 and the previous year in both Formula 2 races.

LAP 18/78:

He gave it his all today, but Charles Leclerc returns to the pits and is out ❌ #MonacoGP 🇲🇨 #F1 pic.twitter.com/6w1EqQIYvQ

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 26, 2019

"It was very difficult and, as I said before the race, I had to take a lot of risks, which we did," Leclerc told Sky Sports.

"It was fun at the beginning. Unfortunately, it ended in disaster but that's a bit Monaco.

"Unfortunately when we're starting 15th, which is not our real pace [or] position, it was difficult to come back from that today."

Leclerc's team-mate Sebastian Vettel took second place for Ferrari, sneaking onto the podium thanks to a battle between Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas in the pit-lane.

It ended Mercedes' run of one-two finishes, although the Silver Arrows remained dominant through the weekend.

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