MONTE CARLO — Charles Leclerc blamed Ferrari for letting the Monaco Grand Prix slip through his fingers on Sunday.
Monaco-native Leclerc was comfortably leading his home race until his first pit-stop when eventual winner Sergio Perez was able to get the jump on him after pitting two laps earlier for intermediate tyres.
Leclerc was still in a good position to challenge Perez until he was called in for a second pit stop three laps later at the same time teammate Carlos Sainz made one.
As he turned in to make the stop, Ferrari suddenly reversed the decision and shouted at him to stay out, but it was too late as Leclerc was already driving into the pit-lane.
An expletive-laden message followed from Leclerc and he emerged behind Max Verstappen in fourth, where he would finish.
At the end of the race, Leclerc told Ferrari: “No words. I know the season is long, but we cannot do that.”
It is the second year in a row Leclerc has failed to convert pole position into victory at his home race.
“It was a freaking disaster today,” Leclerc said after the race. “The win was clearly in our hands: we had the performance, we had everything. I just don’t really understand the call that I had and I need explanations for now.
“I couldn’t do much, I was called just before the last corner, so I couldn’t react or ask for any information, but that was clearly the wrong choice… We need to get better.”
Perez and Verstappen kept their positions on the podium after a Ferrari protest was rejected by the stewards.
Leclerc had a comfortable championship lead early in the season but now finds himself nine points down on Verstappen.