Tears, tyres, and tic-tac-toe - FIVE things you may have missed at Monaco GP

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Monaco, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

Monaco Grand Prix

Tears, tyres, and tic-tac-toe - FIVE things you may have missed at Monaco GP

Here's what you may have missed in the Monte Carlo showpiece

Yara Elshebiny

Monday 27 May 2024 09:44

The streets of Monte Carlo erupted in celebration as Charles Leclerc finally delivered a dream victory at his home Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver, who had previously claimed pole position in Monaco twice before (2021 and 2022) without converting them into wins, finally broke the curse this year.

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Leclerc's dominant performance saw him claim his 24th career pole position, denying championship leader Max Verstappen a record-breaking ninth consecutive pole.

Starting from the front of the grid, Leclerc managed his tyres impeccably, leading the race from start to finish and securing a well-deserved victory 7.142 seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Joining Leclerc on the podium was his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, followed by Lando Norris and George Russell.

Verstappen, who started the race in sixth, finished where he began, unable to find a way through the tight Monegasque streets.

Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time in his F1 career

Five things you might have missed

However, beneath the surface of this Monaco spectacle, there were some light and heartwarming moments you might have missed...

1. Tears of joy: Arthur Leclerc celebrates brother's win

While the champagne flowed on the podium, the most emotional moment of the race arguably came from Leclerc's younger brother, Arthur.

Ferrari's new development driver spoke to Sky F1 after the race, his voice thick with emotion:

"I'm so happy, that's the first time I've cried seeing my brother win. I just wish my father was here as well to see this moment. It's incredible."

Their father, Herve Leclerc, tragically passed away in 2017 during Charles' Formula 2 championship campaign, just before the Ferrari star made his F1 debut. Hervé was only 54 years old at the time of his death.

However, the emotional weight of the victory resonated beyond the Leclerc family. Fans and even marshals were seen wiping away tears, and Prince Albert II of Monaco joined Leclerc on the podium for a celebratory champagne shower.

THE PEOPLE CRYING pic.twitter.com/fyvxnzJeGX
— clara (@leclercsletters) May 26, 2024

2. Max Verstappen's 'boring' race

The Dutchman's frustrations were evident throughout the Monaco GP. Starting from sixth and unable to make any further progress, Verstappen's radio message summed it up perfectly:

"F**k me, this is boring. I should have brought my pillow."

In contrast to Monaco, F1's last outing in Imola saw Verstappen battle neck-and-neck with Lando Norris in the final laps, ultimately securing the win by a narrow margin of just over seven tenths of a second.

The Red Bull star currently sits at the top of the drivers' championship, 31 points ahead of Leclerc.

3. Tic-Tac-Toe

Verstappen's radio message sparked a playful exchange on social media. Red Bull's sister team, Visa Cash App RB, jokingly responded to it on Twitter, quote-tweeting: "He's got a point tbf… Fancy a game of noughts and crosses @redbullracing?"

The banter continued with both teams engaging in a virtual game of noughts and crosses until the VCARB team chimed in, "Pausing our intense game of noughts and crosses with @redbullracing to let you all know Daniel moves up to P12 as Stroll pits."

Ricciardo finished the race in P12, currently sitting 14th in the drivers' standings with five points.

4. Stroll's rolling nightmare

A bizarre moment occurred during the race when Lance Stroll's left rear tyre became detached from his car in the pit-lane after suffering a puncture.

The loose tyre rolled around within the pits, never reaching the track, so a Safety Car wasn't necessary.

The Canadian finished the race in 14th place after starting 13th.

5. A splash of tradition

Finally, no Monaco GP is complete without the iconic post-race celebration.

After securing Ferrari's 245th victory, Leclerc gleefully pushed team boss Fred Vasseur into the harbour before taking a celebratory plunge himself.

With 17 races still remaining, the Scuderia, with wins in Australia and Monaco so far this season, will undoubtedly be looking to capitalise on this momentum and challenge for both the constructors' and drivers' championships, a feat they haven't achieved since 2007 and 2008 respectively.