Leclerc’s Hungarian heartbreak: chassis problems deny him his best shot at victory

Charles Leclerc’s promising Hungarian Grand Prix weekend ended in bitter disappointment as the Monaco driver slipped from pole position to fourth place due to technical issues, missing on what could have been his first victory of the 2025 season.

The Monegasque pilot had given Ferrari fans and his home supporters plenty to celebrate on Saturday, claiming a surprise pole position at the Hungary GP that even caught himself off guard. Starting from the front of the grid, Leclerc initially demonstrated the pace to justify his qualifying performance, building a solid lead over McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the opening stages of Sunday’s 70-lap race.

However, what began as a fairy-tale weekend quickly turned into a nightmare for Charles Leclerc. Around lap 40, Leclerc began experiencing significant pace issues that would ultimately cost him any chance of victory and even a podium finish.

Speaking after the race, a visibly frustrated Leclerc revealed the true extent of the problems.

“From around lap 40 we had a problem with the chassis, now I’ve had more details about it,” Leclerc explained. “In the car obviously I had no idea what was going on. I mean I had an idea, but it was a wrong idea because I thought it was something that was in our control.”

The chassis issue proved to be beyond the team’s control during the race, leaving Leclerc powerless to maintain his early advantage. While the specific nature of the mechanical problem wasn’t detailed, it clearly affected the car’s handling and performance significantly. As his Ferrari began to struggle, he was first overtaken by Piastri for second place, before losing a fierce battle with Mercedes’ George Russel for the final podium.

Making matters even worse, Leclerc received a five-second time penalty for driving erratically during his defensive battle with Russel, ultimately closing the line in fourth position.

“Extremely frustrating” missed opportunity

For a driver who has experienced both high and lows of Formula 1, this particular disappointment seemed to cut especially deep.

“It’s just extremely frustrating when you are fighting for a win and when we had the pace that we had at the beginning of the race, and we lose absolutely everything later on, it’s very frustrating.” Leclerc said.

The timing of the mechanical failure made the setback even more painful. With Ferrari’s competing struggles this season, genuine victory opportunities have been rare, making each chance precious.

“When we have one opportunity in a year to win a race, we need to take it and today we didn’t,” he added. “Now we will analyse what are the reasons why we had this problem. I don’t think it’s anything that we had in our control, but we’ll check.”

McLaren dominates as Norris takes victory

While Leclerc’s race unravelled, McLaren capitalised on the opportunity with a thrilling 1-2 finish. Lando Norris, who had dropped positions at the start, recovered through an alternative one-stop strategy to claim his fifth victory of the 2025 season.

The British driver held off charging Oscar Piastri in a nail-biting finish, with Piastri making multiple attempts to pass his teammate in the closing laps. Their battle for victory provided the drama that Leclerc had hoped to be part of from the front.

George Russel completed the podium for Mercedes.

When asked about his mindset heading into the summer break, Leclerc explained that he is very disappointed and doesn’t take any positives from a weekend that ended like that.

The next opportunity for Leclerc to bounce back will come at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on August 29-31.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  InstagramLinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Main photo credit: Ferrari

Marie Ducruet brings indoor playground to Monaco

Marie Ducruet is set to fill a significant gap in Monaco’s family entertainment offerings with the launch of an indoor children’s playground.

Alongside her friend and business partner Élise Rouillard, Marie Ducruet is developing ‘Little Wonders’ – a dedicated play space for children aged 0-7 years that will open its doors in January 2026, according to Monaco-Matin.

The project addresses what many Monaco families have long recognised: a shortage of suitable activities for very young children in the Principality. “In Monaco and the surrounding areas, there isn’t much for children under seven,” Ducruet told Monaco-Matin. “We had an idea to create this secure play area, like those that exist all over the world, where parents can keep their children occupied while having a peaceful space to drink coffee and even work.”

Ducruet, mother to two-year-old Victoire and eight-month-old Constance with husband Louis Ducruet, identified this gap alongside Rouillard from their own experiences as parents.

The concept draws inspiration from similar successful facilities found in cities worldwide, bringing this family-friendly model to Monaco for the first time.

More than just a playground

Little Wonders will occupy a 235-square-metre space on the ground floor of the Héméra residence in La Condamine’s Grand Ida development.

The space caters to different age groups with dedicated zones. Babies aged 0-18 months will have access to a foam-based motor skills area, while other children can explore a miniature town featuring role-play scenarios including a café, garage, veterinary surgery, and fire station.

The centrepiece is a multi-level play structure for children aged 2-7, incorporating slides, suspended walkways, climbing walls, and ramps. The equipment is being developed with British company Tiger Play, which specialises in bespoke structures not available in France.

The design aims for a calming environment with pastel colours and sound-absorbing materials, creating a peaceful atmosphere for families.

The facility will also include a dedicated workshop room available for private hire for birthday parties.

Staff will manage operations and maintain the on-site café, though children will remain under parental supervision at all times

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  InstagramLinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Main photo credit: Marie Ducruet’s instagram 

Young marine explorers dive deep at Monaco’s Oceano Club

The Oceano Club is welcoming children for a week of discovery at the heart of Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum throughout the summer holidays. Split into two age groups – 6-8 years and 9-12 years – the programme allows young kids to dive into the fascinating world of the ocean through various educational and fun activities. 

Children are immersed into the magical setting of the museum, known as the ‘Temple of the Sea’, where they participate in the multiple ocean-focused activities under the guidance of a specialised educational team. The programme centres on the ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the creatures that inhabit them.

The curriculum features workshops on Posidonia seagrass meadows – the Mediterranean’s ‘green lungs’ – sessions on large cetaceans, an in-depth exploration of the Pelagos Sanctuary, and awareness-raising about Marine Protected Areas.

Places still available this summer

Parents seeking enriching summer activities for their children will be pleased to know that places remain available across several sessions. The programme runs over four periods: 11-14 August, 18-22 August, 25-29 August, and 1-5 September.

Sessions run from 9am to 5pm daily, with all activities conducted in French.

The initiative aligns with the educational mission of the Oceanographic Museum, carrying forward the legacy of Prince Albert I and continuing today under Prince Albert II. According to the museum, it’s “an ideal opportunity to awaken children’s curiosity, strengthen their thirst for discovery and nurture future pursuits.”

The programme represents a unique opportunity for children to experience hands-on marine education.

For more information and reservations, visit www.musee.oceano.org. Places are limited, with some sessions already fully booked.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  InstagramLinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Main photo credit: Club Oceano

Monaco to host first-ever trading card show at the grimaldi forum

A new kind of collectible culture is coming to the Principality this September. The Monaco Card Show, presented by auction platform Voggt, will take over the Grimaldi Forum on Saturday 13th September 2025, bringing the fast-growing world of trading cards, pop culture collectibles and sports memorabilia into the spotlight for the first time in Monaco.

The show is the brainchild of Dominique Gastaldi and Nicolas Bermond, childhood friends from Monaco whose lifelong passion for trading cards has evolved into a mission to create a community-centred event on home turf. “We grew up together in Monaco, sharing this hobby,” said Gastaldi. “Today, we’re proud to organise a major event in our city to bring together collectors from across Europe.”

Running from 10am to 6pm, the Monaco Card Show aims to be more than a convention — it’s an open invitation for enthusiasts, professionals, families and the curious to step inside a world where Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, Marvel, Star Wars and rare sports cards meet in one vibrant setting. Around 50 exhibitors will be on-site, including specialist stores, card graders, private collectors and vendors offering everything from protective cases to display accessories.

voggt puts the community front and centre

Leading the list of headline partners is Voggt, Europe’s largest live auction platform dedicated to trading cards and collectibles. Part of the Fanatics group, Voggt connects more than 500,000 collectors across Europe through dynamic, livestreamed card auctions — a digital phenomenon that has transformed how fans interact with the hobby.

“Since Voggt was founded in 2021, card shows have been a tangible way for us to meet collectors and engage with the community,” said Kevin Loiseau, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Voggt. “Being present at the Grimaldi Forum is a continuation of that momentum and a way to assert our place in the hobby.”

a perfect venue for a growing culture

The rise of the global trading card market has been particularly striking in the years following the pandemic, attracting multi-generational audiences and redefining collecting as a shared experience. “Cards and collectibles are no longer just for kids — it’s become an intergenerational passion, often shared within families,” noted Bermond.

With major names like Panini, Card Hobby, PCA Grading, The Collectibles Shop and Tactic Games TCG joining the lineup, the Monaco Card Show promises to be a landmark debut — and possibly the first of many.

Practical information

The Monaco Card Show will take place on Saturday 13th September 2025 from 10am to 6pm at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco. Tickets are €15 for adults and €5 for children under 12.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  InstagramLinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo provided

Thursday Live Sessions marks 10th anniversary with Queen tribute and special concerts

The Grimaldi Forum is marking a major milestone as its popular Thursday Live Sessions hits the decade mark, celebrating 10 years of bringing live music to Monaco. 

Since starting in 2015, this monthly after-work series has become a regular fixture 0n Monaco’s cultural calendar, combining DJ sets with live performances. Each session starts at 6:30pm with DJ and aperitif offerings before the live performance takes centre stage.

Over the past decade, more than 70 concerts have taken place, featuring artists like Hyphen Hyphen, The Limiñanas, and Dead Chic.

To celebrate this anniversary, organisers have put together a bold season. Starting on 4th September with Pat Kalla & The Super Mojos, delivering their electro-afro-groove sound. The group, known for their energetic performances, will showcase tracks form their latest album Belle Terre.

The album mixes highlife, rumba, biguine, funk, and afrobeat with influences from Réunion Island, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Queen tribute

The main anniversary event happens on 23rd October with Visions of Queen, a tribute to the legendary British rock band and Freddie Mercury.

The season ends on 18th December with Wolfgang Valbrun, whose soul music will close out the programme. More dates are expected to be announced soon.

Thursday Live Sessions offers free entrance, through reservations are required for a table. Interested parties can book by calling +377 99 99 30 00, but should reserve early as the anniversary season is expected to be quite popular.

The venue also offers on-site parking with evening rates of €0.20 per 15-minute period from 7pm to 8am

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  InstagramLinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Main photo credit: Visions of Queen