Ferrari dealt 'golden chance' verdict ahead of crucial F1 test

Jolyon Palmer believes Ferrari has a "golden chance" to win the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, with the characteristics of the Italian team's car perfectly suited to the tight, twisty streets of Monte Carlo.

The former Renault driver has also tipped Charles Leclerc to lead the Scuderia's charge, calling the Monegasque driver a "Monaco specialist" who can finally deliver the team's first victory of the 2026 season.

Ferrari have been consistent front-runners across the opening five rounds of the campaign, collecting four podiums and sitting second in the constructors' standings.

Yet a maiden win has remained elusive, with the team's well-documented power unit limitations proving costly on the power-sensitive circuits that have dominated the early calendar.

"Ferrari will definitely win a race this year," Palmer told Lottoland. "That's my hot tip this early on. I think they will be in with a great shot in Monaco.

"I think I would put that on Charles because I think he's just such a Monaco specialist and it's his home race and everything else."

Why Ferrari should be strong in Monaco

Strong mechanical balance, excellent minimum cornering speeds, and outstanding launch performance have been hallmarks of the SF-26 since pre-season testing in Bahrain. Where Ferrari has suffered is on long straights, precisely the element Monaco lacks.

And two technical elements further bolster Ferrari's Monaco case. The Scuderia's decision to run a smaller turbocharger, designed to reduce lag and improve throttle response out of slow corners, should prove particularly valuable at a circuit defined by constant acceleration and braking.

Ferrari's innovative exhaust-blown winglet, a device that uses the exhaust plume to energise airflow over the diffuser and generate rear downforce for minimal drag cost, offers additional rear grip precisely where it is needed most, which is something Kimi Antonelli has pointed out ahead of the round in the Principality.

"The Ferrari car is not only a brilliant chassis, but it's great off the line, which at the moment they still hold that advantage," Palmer said. "However, the power unit on the Ferrari is their weakness, and it's very difficult for a driver to have too much say on that.

"But, Ferrari has a golden chance to win in Monaco because of the way that their car is."

Palmer was also quick to point out that the trip to Monte Carlo is not a one-off opportunity for the Scuderia, with a number of twistier tracks later in the season set to play to the SF-26's strengths.

"But they'll have other good circuits. And again, if Lewis can stay in, even in the position he's in, he can stay close and fight," he added.

"So, you've got obviously Monaco, but other circuits as well, maybe Zandvoort, maybe Budapest, where Charles was on pole last year as well. Lewis has a great record in Hungary... They can be really competitive.

"So there are going to be so many. And I think these early races in the season have probably been a bad mix of races for Ferrari because there've been a lot of power-sensitive circuits, which is not their strong suit.

"When we go to sort of twistier circuits, then I think we'll see Ferrari with a much better chance."