Ferrari star makes upgrade admission on championship hopes

Charles Leclerc is riding high after claiming the top spot on the podium at his home grand prix in Monaco.

The 26-year-old finally managed to convert his third pole position there into a win, having fallen victim to 'the Monaco curse' in previous years.

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Speaking to Racer, Leclerc said: “I’ve had two qualifyings where I struggled at the beginning of the season, but from then on, I worked on my qualifying pace and since then, I’m extremely happy with the job we are doing.

“We shouldn’t get carried away, obviously Monaco is such a specific track and I think we had a really good car. It doesn’t mean that it will stay like that until the end of the year, but looking back at the first few races of the season, I think we did a great job maximizing all the races that we have done, and we’ll keep it going."

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The Monegasque driver secured Ferrari's second win of the 2024 season in Monaco, with team-mate Carlos Sainz having fought his way to the top spot at the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year.

It appears since Fred Vasseur took the reins, the Scuderia could be contenders for the title, only 24 points behind Red Bull in the constructors' championship.

Sainz has been praised for his unwavering commitment to Ferrari, despite his imminent exit from the team at the end of the season.

The Spaniard seemingly shares the same goal concerning their championship chances although his team-mate did admit he is cautious of such optimism.

Leclerc said: “I don’t think about the championship for now anyway, and it’s still too early on in the season. I think the upgrades that we have brought in Imola, we have still to see how well they work and where it will bring us. And then it’s all about maximising all weekends, and then hopefully, little by little, we’ll get there.”

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