Charles Leclerc faces his Monte Carlo demons at a race now under threat

You could forgive Charles Leclerc the odd twinge of apprehension going into his home race in Monte Carlo this weekend.

But the 24-year-old Ferrari ace will not be unduly troubled to be starting favourite for the biggest race of the year. His chief rivals are unlikely to be the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez, but an unforgiving Monte Carlo jinx.

The Monegasque has crashed out every time he has been there, once in a virtual race and even, incredibly, when he was only doing a demonstration run.

In 2018 his brakes failed six laps from home and he careered off in a shower of rubber.

A year later it was a continuous tale of woe. A qualifying nightmare, barely escaping punishment for missing the weighbridge then hitting the barrier at Rascasse on race day. That wasn’t what destroyed his chances, though, it was his rush to pits on three tyres, shredding the underbelly, that did it.

There was no race in 2020 because of covid, so Leclerc took part in a virtual GP and crashed out of second place.

Last year he finally got it all right and collared pole - only to crash out seconds later.

He thought his luck had finally turned when the car was repaired in time. But not so fast Charles - it broke down on the way to the start grid and that was that.

When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 car.