Charles Leclerc breaking his Monaco Grand Prix victory curse was a standout highlight among the several that occurred across a riveting 2024 Formula 1 campaign.
Motorsport Week’s writers have charted their favourite moments of the 2024 F1 season with Deputy Editor Dan Lawrence picking Leclerc’s triumphant home victory in Monaco.
“2024 has been a standout year for Formula 1 with multiple victors for multiple teams and a tightly packed pecking order.
“It feels as if F1 has missed this type of action for well over a decade, making one single moment hard to pinpoint.
“For me, watching Leclerc finally break his Monaco curse and fulfil a lifelong dream of winning his home GP takes the cake. The emotion wrapped up in Leclerc’s victory, a tribute to his late father and his pocket-sized nation seeing its first home winner in 93 years was beautiful to see.”
Leclerc pays tribute to late father following Monaco win
Leclerc lost his father before he made it to F1, but told him a little white lie that he’d already signed his first contract.
That lie became a reality for the 2018 season and six year’s later Leclerc spoke about how much a home win meant to him and his dad.
“No words can explain that [feeling],” Leclerc said in parc ferme.
“It’s such a difficult race. I think the fact that twice I’ve been starting in pole position and couldn’t quite make it, makes it even better in a way.
“It means a lot, obviously. It’s the race that made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day.
“So yeah, it was a difficult race emotionally because already 15 laps to the end, you’re just hoping that nothing happens. Already the emotions were coming.
“I have to say that I was thinking to my dad a lot more. It was a dream of ours for me to race here and to win, so it’s unbelievable.”
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