Leclerc 'not concerned' as he comes back to Monaco.

      "The feeling will come back there"

      Ferrari is becoming the obvious favorite for Monaco, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli also supporting the Italian team as this weekend's race approaches. McLaren's Lando Norris was the first to identify Ferrari as the standard after Canada, and Antonelli concurs. "We’re going to see how we perform there, but surely Ferrari is the favorite, especially with that winglet they have at the back, which is providing them significant downforce at low speeds," remarked the Mercedes driver. This prediction comes despite Charles Leclerc experiencing what he described as the worst weekend of his career in Montreal, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton secured second place. Nevertheless, Leclerc, a specialist in Monaco and a local hero, remains unfazed. "The feeling will come back there," he stated to Corriere dello Sport. "I’m not concerned; our car fits Monaco much better than it did Canada." Leclerc also mentioned that he will analyze Hamilton's data for insights. "The only silver lining is that Lewis had the same car as me, and by reviewing his data, I’ll try to understand my struggles."

      At the same time, Mercedes may lose part of its perceived engine advantage. Starting from Monaco, FIA inspections will gauge engine compression ratios at operating temperatures instead of ambient conditions, following rival claims that Mercedes had found a permissible way to operate with unusually high compression levels during races. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen is apprehensive about another challenging weekend on Monaco's notoriously bumpy streets. "We are going to face challenges on any uneven track," he admitted. When asked specifically about Monaco, Verstappen humorously responded, "Oh yes, it’s going to be fantastic! I think I might need to order a new back." According to Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, the new regulations are unlikely to resolve Monaco’s longstanding overtaking issues. "I believe things will remain as they are in Monaco," he stated. "We should accept how the races unfold there instead of attempting to change anything."

      While Antonelli heads into the race with a 43-point lead in the championship, his father Marco calls for caution. "Kimi is performing well, even beyond what we expected, but I think he still has room to grow," he said. "In just one year of Formula 1, you can’t absorb what other drivers have learned over six, eight, or ten years. I believe he will be truly ready in a few years." Former driver Ralf Schumacher thinks that the pressure is building on teammate George Russell. "Russell’s situation is unlikely to get better," he predicted. Schumacher also foresees the possibility of Mercedes' title battle evolving into a rekindling of the famous rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. "I suspect that at some point Antonelli and Russell will clash," he remarked. "One thing is certain: Russell is feeling down right now."