Leclerc retires from home race as Antonelli wins Monaco GP
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Charles Leclerc was forced out on lap 66 while running third, ending his hopes of a home victory at the 2026 Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco.
Sunday's race at Circuit de Monaco delivered a bitter result for the Principality's most celebrated driver. Charles Leclerc, who had been holding third place, retired on lap 66 with what appeared to be a mechanical failure, cutting short what had been a controlled and measured drive through the streets he knows better than anyone on the grid.
Kimi Antonelli took the chequered flag to claim victory, with Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar completing the podium. It is Antonelli's win that will dominate the wider headlines, but for the thousands of Monaco residents and fans packed into the grandstands around Sainte-Dévote, Massenet and the harbour, the lasting image will be Leclerc's Ferrari rolling to a halt.
Leclerc has now endured a string of painful near-misses and setbacks at his home race over the years, and this latest retirement will sting particularly given his competitive position at the time. Whether Ferrari's engineers can identify and resolve the issue before the next round remains to be seen, but the mood in the Principality after the flag was one of deep frustration rather than celebration.