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- 🏎️ Leclerc Breaks Monaco Curse with Victory
🏎️ Leclerc Breaks Monaco Curse with Victory
Jordan Williams
May 28, 2024
In this week’s email:
Leclerc wins in Monaco 🏆
Alpine potentially benching Esteban Ocon 👀
F1 Navigates New Concorde Agreement 💰
Williams Emerges as Contender for Sainz 📝
Leclerc Breaks Monaco Curse with Victory 🏆
Charles Leclerc broke the Monaco curse by winning his home Grand Prix. His first victory since the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. Despite a chaotic start with multiple incidents and a red flag, Leclerc led from the standing start on Lap 3 and managed the pace comfortably.
Below is results from the top 10 finishers of the race:
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
Alex Albon (Williams)
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Other things to note:
Red Bull leads constructors championship, but Ferrari has closed the gap to 24 points. Verstappen's dominance and Pérez's setbacks contribute. Pérez's recent struggles include DNF at Monaco due to poor qualifying.
Alpine's Pierre Gasly expressed dissatisfaction with teammate Esteban Ocon's collision during the grand prix, attributing blame to Ocon for an "overly ambitious overtaking attempt”. Despite the incident, Gasly retained P10, securing Alpine's first point of the year in the race.
Leclerc's victory chips away at Verstappen's lead in the driver standing:
1: Verstappen — 169 points
2: Leclerc — 138
3: Norris — 113
4: Sainz — 108
5: Perez — 107
Alpine potentially benching Esteban Ocon 👀
Alpine is contemplating benching Esteban Ocon for the Canadian Grand Prix following his collision with teammate Pierre Gasly during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Alpine boss Bruno Famin hinted at consequences for Ocon, suggesting he might sit out the next race. Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater disclosed that the possibility of dropping Ocon for Canada is under serious consideration by Famin, who aims to prioritize team discipline.
Ocon has apologized publicly and privately for the incident, but the decision regarding his participation in the next race is pending. Additionally, Ocon's future at Alpine has come into question amid links to other teams like Audi and Haas.
The incident has raised doubts about Ocon's compatibility with Gasly and his decision-making on the track, potentially jeopardizing the team's chances of scoring points in future races.
Formula 1 Navigates New Concorde Agreement 💰
Discussions have started regarding a new Concorde Agreement for Formula 1 from 2026 onwards. One aspect under review is the dilution fund for new teams, particularly relevant as Andretti Global seeks entry.
Previously, a fixed $200 million payment was proposed for new entrants, but this is considered insufficient given F1's financial strength. A new proposal suggests a formula-based approach, potentially totaling $600 million initially, rising to $700 million by 2028, spread over five years.
Additionally, new teams wouldn't receive prize money in their first year. This high cost may lead Andretti to consider acquiring an existing team, as suggested by Red Bull's Christian Horner, who sees potential in Andretti's entry but advises acquisition for stability.
Williams Emerges as Serious Contender for Carlos Sainz 📝
Williams' persistent interest complicates Carlos Sainz's post-Ferrari decision. Despite initially being a wildcard, Williams' long-term plans and negotiations have made them a serious contender.
Sainz prioritizes a race-winning car but considers factors like project belief and contract duration. Williams offers flexibility compared to Audi, though both teams face hypothetical progress.
Sainz's decision hinges on personal preference, but Williams challenges Audi as a viable option.
Other things happening around F1 🛞