Monte-Carlo (Principality of Monaco) (AFP)

Cursed at home in Monaco, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) had to give up even before the start of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, leaving the field open to Max Verstappen (Red Bull) to win in the Principality and take the lead in the championship.

Qualified in pole position, Leclerc finally had to leave his Ferrari in the pit because of a technical problem.

Having started in his place in the lead, it was Verstappen who led the race from start to finish, being almost impossible to overtake in Monaco.

"It's so special to win in Monaco, it's also the first time I'm on the podium here, it's really cool," said Verstappen, 23, who is now four points ahead of Hamilton. .

Winner for the 12th time in his F1 career and the first in Monaco, Verstappen doubles at the head of the world championship Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 7th Sunday.

In five races this season, the Red Bull driver has won twice (Emilia-Romagna and Monaco), against three in Hamilton (Bahrain, Portugal, Spain) in this duel at the top.

This time Hamilton, 36, finished far behind.

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Lando Norris (McLaren) completed the podium.

Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) and Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) follow for an unprecedented top 5 this season.

- Bottas gives up -

For Mercedes, it's a dark weekend: its other driver, the Finnish Valtteri Bottas, had to retire, stuck in the pits during the 31st lap due to a technical problem.

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As a result, Red Bull also takes the lead in the constructors' championship, one point ahead of Mercedes, which has won all the titles since 2014.

Yet it is Charles Leclerc and Ferrari, in great shape this weekend, that everyone was waiting for.

But the 23-year-old national hero did not take the start.

If he had signed his first pole position this season, the eighth of his career, during qualifying on Saturday, he especially seriously damaged his car in the turn of the Pool, in the port of the Principality.

- "Not easy" -

Saturday evening then Sunday noon, the team had said it would start from pole position, the car having no "apparent damage".

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It was not until the first warm-up laps to realize the obvious: the Monegasque was not going to be able to leave.

"No, no, no no ... The gearbox guys (in French: the gearbox, guys)", he said annoyed to his team via radio communication, before returning to the pits to never get out.

"There things are a little better, I had time to calm down, it is true that I was very emotional in the car", he added a little later to the microphone of Canal +.

"It's difficult, the mechanics did absolutely everything to believe in this victory. It's a problem on the left rear of the car, not where we did not hit, and it was not a problem of gearbox this time, "he said, adding that he was" sure there is a link with the accident ".

For the return of the Monaco Grand Prix after a cancellation in 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Leclerc was only able to position himself on the starting grid during the official ceremony, where Prince Albert slipped him a few words of support.

A real blow for the public, won over to its cause in the stands, with 7,500 spectators (or 40% of the total capacity) expected at most because of the health situation.

At home, the Monegasque has always had to give up since 2017 after technical problems or clashes, whether in F2 in 2017 or in F1 in 2018 (with Sauber) then in 2019, for his first season with Ferrari.

"Again, not to finish ... and there I did not even start, it is not easy", he breathed.

Leclerc is now 6th in a ranking dominated for the first time by Verstappen.

© 2021 AFP