JUST NOW: Charles Leclerc said there is “more pace for him.

Despite setting the timing screens alight in FP2 for the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc believes he has “more pace in me”.
The Ferrari driver was nearly a full second ahead of every other driver on the medium tyre in the first half of second practice, and he remained in first place at the end of the session after qualifying simulations, about two tenths ahead of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

Charles Leclerc hopes to maintain momentum as he seeks his first home win.
Leclerc appeared to be pushing the boundaries of his car early in free practice on a weekend where the distinctive Monaco layout necessitates racers building up to their fastest speeds.

While he agreed that qualifying will reveal everyone’s true pace, his risk-taking strategy in practice “paid off” with how he attacked his day on Friday.

“I think on the medium we were really strong, but on the soft we struggled to put everything together,” Leclerc told F1 TV after FP2.

“There was a lot of traffic along the road, but overall, we have a solid automobile at the moment.

“I am quite confident in the automobile. However, it is critical that we maintain this pattern throughout FP3 since that is how Monaco is.

“I might have taken a little more risk than the others today, and it paid off. However, it is all about tomorrow in qualifying, when everyone begins to push themselves to their limits.

“Until now, I think we’ve done a really, really good job, but we need to keep working, keep focusing on ourselves, but it’s a positive first day.”

Given his significant lead over the rest of the field on the medium tire in particular, Max Verstappen believes Ferrari is “miles ahead” in their current shape and might be favourites for pole position on Saturday.

With that grid place being especially essential in Monaco, Leclerc will do everything he can to get there – but he understands that given his previous poor results at his home race, nothing is guaranteed in his quest for his maiden victory around the streets close where he grew up.

“I think there’s just more pace in me, just putting everything together,” Leclerc explained.

“If you look at my three sectors, there was a lot of lap time in them when you put it all together, so that will be the major emphasis for tomorrow, but let’s say the performance and feeling is there.