Charles Leclerc is poised to win the Monaco Grand Prix, with a prominent voice betting on him to do it at home.
What's at Stake?
Leclerc arrives at the Monaco Grand Prix with momentum, a freshly signed contract, and a growing belief in the paddock that the tightest circuit on the calendar is where Mercedes' winning run could end.
Jolyon Palmer, a former F1 driver and current F1 TV analyst, expressed his belief in Ferrari's resurgence on the F1 Nation podcast, foreseeing challenges for Mercedes on Monaco's narrow track.
Ferrari's Chances
Palmer boldly envisioned a Ferrari 1-2 finish, with Leclerc securing first place, and Lewis Hamilton in third, citing Mercedes' historical struggles at the Monaco circuit.
A front-row start on Saturday would make Leclerc very hard to beat, and with the contract question settled, this is the kind of stage where he tends to deliver.
The Podium Predictions
The predicted podium finish for the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix is:
P1: Charles Leclerc | Ferrari
P2: Lando Norris | McLaren
P3: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes
Lando Norris in second is the best McLaren bet, as the team struggled in Montreal, but Monaco rewards a precise, confident driver more than it rewards an outright fast car.
What It Means for the Title Fight
The bigger story is what all this means for the championship, with Kimi Antonelli arriving in Monaco with a commanding lead, having won four straight races to open a 43-point gap over Mercedes teammate George Russell.
If the predictions hold and no Mercedes lands on the podium on Sunday, it would be the first real crack in that armor all year, and Leclerc would be the man to finally crack Mercedes' grip on the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The stage could hardly be set better for Ferrari, and for a home crowd desperate to see Leclerc on the top step, with a dry, mild forecast across the weekend, qualifying on Saturday looms as the session that decides everything.