Leclerc tipped to rediscover form at Monaco after bruising Canadian GP

Charles Leclerc heads to Monaco this weekend carrying the weight of what he called “the most difficult weekend so far of my Formula 1 career” — a Canadian Grand Prix in which he was outpaced by Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton and rescued a fourth-place finish only by the misfortune of others ahead of him.

The performance drew scrutiny, but IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, argued the criticism was being overplayed. He acknowledged the weekend was “mildly concerning” but stopped well short of reading it as a deeper crisis.

“A bad weekend happens. Look, everyone’s had bad weekends. He’s had bad weekends before,” Hinchcliffe said. “This one did seem to affect him a little bit more, and to make the claim that it was his worst grand prix weekend ever is maybe mildly concerning. Maybe that shows more of where he’s at with the team in general right now. This is an interesting period for him and for that team, and what potential future relationship they have.”

Hinchcliffe was quick to add context, noting that a single poor result is far from a pattern. “If this was the fifth race on the bounce that Charles was being handily beaten by Hamilton, that he was chippy on the radio, that he was cancelling commitments — maybe a cause for concern,” he said. “Drivers at this level have been through weekends like this going back to go-karting.”

For Hinchcliffe, the timing of Monaco’s arrival on the calendar could hardly be better for Leclerc. He drew a parallel with George Russell’s recovery at the Canadian GP after a difficult run at Miami. “Miami’s a bogey track for George, Montreal’s a strong one. He went there, sprint pole, sprint win, grand prix pole, was leading when the car failed. He went to a track that is usually statistically good for him and performed. It helped kind of bring him back.”

“This is a very similar scenario,” Hinchcliffe continued. “You heard Leclerc say, ‘Montreal’s a bogey track for me.’ We know that Monaco’s a place that he has excelled at his whole career. It’s not like he’s had one good race there. He’s had several incredibly strong performances there.”

Leclerc arrives in the principality having recently confirmed a contract extension with Ferrari, which may add a further layer of settled confidence heading into his home race. Hamilton is also expected to be competitive around the Monte Carlo streets, meaning Ferrari could field two genuine contenders.

The stakes extend beyond individual redemption. With Mercedes having won every grand prix of the 2026 season so far, a Ferrari victory at Monaco would represent the first time a different constructor has topped the podium this year.