Charles Leclerc wins his first Monaco Grand Prix

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles LeClerc of Monaco (16) celebrates after securing pole position during qualifying at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Monegasque native Charles Leclerc was finally able to win at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Leclerc on Sunday won the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time, as he cruised from pole to finish. Leclerc, who was born in Monte Carlo, had secured the pole position for the race twice prior to this weekend, but had never finished on the podium. This weekend, not only did he win the pole position, but the Ferrari driver also won the race.

Rounding out the podium were Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari. Sainz still not be able to finalize a contract with any constructor for 2025.

Noticeably absent in the competition was Red Bull, which saw three other constructors not only qualify ahead of them, but also finish ahead of them on Sunday. Although Red Bull has great top-end speed, it has struggled recently in street courses.

With a crash on the opening lap forcing Sergio Perez to retire, Max Verstappen was Red Bull’s lone car in the race. On a course where overtaking is difficult, Verstappen qualified and finish 6th.

Despite the poor performance in Monaco, Verstappen and Red Bull still lead in both the drivers and constructors standings.

Next F1 returns to Montreal for the Canada GP, where the race will be held on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The return to a circuit style course should help Red Bull regain its from, but upgrades from Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren should increase the level of competition.