Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has long been linked with an unfortunate history at his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix.
While the narrative of a “Monaco curse” seemed to fade in 2024 and 2025, it resurfaced today after he crashed while running in a strong position, forcing his retirement from the race.
For many fans, it felt like the curse had finally been lifted—but once again, it has returned to deny the Ferrari driver a chance at victory on home soil.
The story goes back to 2017, when Leclerc was still competing in Formula 2. Despite taking pole in Monaco, he retired from the Feature Race on the opening lap due to suspension issues, and later also failed to finish the Sprint Race because of electrical problems.
As he stepped into Formula 1 with Ferrari, the pattern appeared to follow. In 2018, he suffered a brake failure that ended in a crash. In 2019, while fighting through the field in Monaco, he crashed while attempting an overtake, cutting his race short.
In 2021, his weekend ended even before it truly began after a Q3 crash caused gearbox damage, forcing him out of the race entirely. In 2022, a costly pit-stop issue denied him a likely victory, while in 2023, he dropped down the order after a penalty for impeding, eventually finishing sixth despite a strong qualifying performance.
The breakthrough finally came in 2024, when Leclerc secured an emotional home win. He followed it up with another strong result in 2025, finishing on the podium in front of his home crowd.
But in 2026, the narrative has turned again—another Monaco weekend, another heartbreak, and what many are already calling the return of the Monaco curse.