Numerical data points to a trend. Across the history of the Formula 1 world championship, 487 grand prix events have witnessed the victor emerging from pole position – equating to 43.2% of all races.
Considering the period since Charles Leclerc entered the sport in 2018, this statistic has risen to 50.3% (82 victories from 163 races). It further escalates to 56.6% in races where Leclerc was not the pole sitter. This is emphasized by Leclerc’s acquisition of 27 pole positions, surpassing notable figures such as Mika Hakkinen, Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet, which have only translated into five race wins.
An analysis of these occurrences is worthwhile.
2019 Bahrain GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc, in his inaugural season with Ferrari, maintained the lead from the start until lap 47, when an engine malfunction caused him to cede positions to both Mercedes cars.
2019 Austrian GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc exhibited dominance throughout the race until Max Verstappen executed a forceful overtake on lap 69 of 71.
2019 Belgian GP – Position Change: 1st to 1st
Leclerc successfully defended against Lewis Hamilton, his future Ferrari colleague, securing an emotionally charged first-place finish. This victory occurred a day following Anthoine Hubert’s tragic accident at Spa-Francorchamps. Leclerc dedicated the win to Hubert’s memory.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
2019 Italian GP – Position Change: 1st to 1st
Leclerc achieved a celebrated win at Ferrari’s home track, Monza, successfully holding off Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes.
2019 Singapore GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc, who began in pole position, was strategically overtaken by his Ferrari teammate, Sebastian Vettel, during a pit stop and could not regain the lead, finishing closely behind in second place.
2019 Russian GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc was overtaken by Vettel at the first turn as the German capitalized on the slipstream. Vettel’s subsequent retirement due to an MGU-K malfunction triggered a virtual safety car, enabling Mercedes to execute advantageous pit stops and secure a 1-2 finish, leaving Leclerc in third.
2019 Mexican GP – Position Change: 1st to 4th
Leclerc’s strategy of two pit stops did not prove successful, particularly due to a slow second stop. He concluded the race in fourth position, approximately six seconds behind the victor.
2021 Monaco GP – Position Change: 1st to DNS
Leclerc achieved the fastest time in Q3 but crashed in the Swimming Pool section. The resulting red flag ended the session, securing his pole position. Despite a thorough inspection, Ferrari chose not to replace the gearbox, avoiding a grid penalty. However, Leclerc experienced a driveshaft failure en route to the grid, preventing him from starting the race.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21
2021 Azerbaijan GP – Position Change: 1st to 4th
Leclerc was passed by Hamilton, Verstappen, and Sergio Perez within the initial seven laps and subsequently made an early pit stop. Despite a chaotic race, he ultimately finished fourth, trailing Perez, Vettel from Aston Martin, and Gasly of AlphaTauri.
2022 Bahrain GP – Position Change: 1st to 1st
Leclerc secured pole position, achieved the fastest lap, and claimed victory, leading for nearly the entire race. Carlos Sainz contributed to Ferrari’s success with a second-place finish.
2022 Australian GP – Position Change: 1st to 1st
Leclerc accomplished a grand chelem, finishing 20.5 seconds ahead of Perez, who came in second.
2022 Miami GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc was overtaken by Verstappen for the lead on lap 9, ultimately finishing in second place, less than four seconds behind the Red Bull driver.
2022 Spanish GP – Position Change: 1st to DNF
Leclerc held a lead exceeding 12 seconds before experiencing a turbo failure on lap 27, resulting in his retirement from the race.
2022 Monaco GP – Position Change: 1st to 4th
In wet conditions, strategy played a pivotal role. Leclerc’s two pit stops for intermediate and slick tires proved disadvantageous compared to Sainz, who switched directly from wet to slick tires. Leclerc’s transition to slicks was also premature relative to the Red Bull cars, leading to him dropping to fourth within five laps and remaining there, despite finishing within three seconds of the race winner, Perez.
2022 Azerbaijan GP – Position Change: 1st to DNF
Leclerc experienced wheel lockup at the start, being overtaken by Perez. He pitted during a virtual safety car on lap 9, briefly regaining the lead via an undercut before an engine failure forced his retirement.
2022 French GP – Position Change: 1st to DNF
While leading, Leclerc spun and crashed on lap 18, resulting in his exit from the race.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75, exits his car after crashing out at Le Beausset
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
2022 Italian GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc’s strategy involving two pit stops, anticipating an early virtual safety car intervention, did not yield the anticipated outcome. He finished second to Verstappen.
2022 Singapore GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc was overtaken by Perez at the race’s commencement and remained behind the Mexican driver for its entirety.
2023 Azerbaijan GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc led for three circuits, after which the two Red Bull cars passed him without significant difficulty, exploiting DRS assistance. Leclerc was unable to sustain their pace and finished in third position.
2023 Belgian GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc was overtaken by Perez at the start of lap 1 on the Kemmel Straight. Subsequently, Verstappen overtook him at the same location on lap 9, en route to a dominant victory from sixth on the grid, which was a result of a gearbox-related penalty.
2023 United States GP – Position Change: 1st to DSQ
Leclerc was overtaken by Norris at the race’s start, then by Hamilton on lap 6, followed by Verstappen on lap 11. Leclerc pursued a one-stop strategy, differing from his rivals who opted for two stops. He was later surpassed by Sainz and Perez, ultimately facing disqualification due to excessive wear on the plank.
2023 Mexico City GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc was positioned between the two Red Bull cars entering Turn 1, resulting in a collision with Perez that damaged his front wing. He trailed Verstappen when the race was halted due to Kevin Magnussen’s crash and maintained that position upon the restart. However, Hamilton, utilizing DRS, overtook him on lap four down the main straight, with two wheels off-track. Leclerc finished third, trailing Verstappen by 23 seconds.
2023 Las Vegas GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Leclerc was forced off the track by Verstappen at the start, with the Red Bull also running wide. Despite this, Verstappen retained the lead, incurring a five-second penalty. Leclerc reclaimed the lead on lap 16, shortly before Verstappen’s pit stop. A safety car intervention allowed Perez, who started in 11th, to pit advantageously and emerge in second. Perez then took the lead; however, Verstappen reclaimed it, winning the race. Leclerc secured second place by overtaking Perez on the final lap.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Erik Junius
2024 Monaco GP – Position Change: 1st to 1st
Leclerc succeeded in overcoming his historical difficulties at his home race, dating back to his Formula 2 career, with an unchallenged triumph on the streets of his upbringing.
2024 Belgian GP – Position Change: 1st to 3rd
Leclerc maintained his leading position at the start of lap 1; however, Hamilton overtook the Ferrari on the Kemmel Straight during the third circuit. Russell achieved victory on the track with a one-stop strategy but faced disqualification due to the car being below the minimum weight requirement. Leclerc finished third, having been overtaken by Oscar Piastri at Les Combes on lap 36.
2024 Azerbaijan GP – Position Change: 1st to 2nd
Piastri overtook Leclerc in Turn 1 soon after the initial round of pit stops, leading the remainder of the race to win by a margin exceeding 10 seconds.
2025 Hungarian GP – Position Change: 1st to 4th
Leclerc maintained the lead for 28 of the opening 39 circuits at the Hungaroring, briefly yielding the position to Norris, who executed a single-stop strategy and ultimately won. Subsequently, Leclerc encountered an unidentified chassis issue, dropping to fourth and receiving a minor five-second penalty for altering his trajectory during braking against Russell.
