As the Formula 1 paddock prepares for the Belgian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc is refusing to get carried away by the emotions of his breakthrough victory at Silverstone. Instead, the Ferrari driver is approaching Spa-Francorchamps with humility and determination, returning to the circuit where he claimed the first Formula 1 victory of his career back in 2019.
Charles Leclerc looking ahead to Spa
In the build-up to the British Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc found himself under heavy criticism. Some of it was understandable given his recent results, while other comments appeared far more severe than deserved. A difficult run of races had left the Monegasque driver 92 points behind the leader of the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship and trailing teammate Lewis Hamilton by 46 points.
Everything changed, however, at Silverstone. On the home circuit of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, Charles Leclerc delivered an unexpected victory, ending a winless streak that had lasted one year and eight months.
For once, fortune smiled on the Ferrari driver instead of turning against him. Andrea Kimi Antonelli‘s relentless charge came to an end on lap 41 of the British Grand Prix, opening the door for Charles Leclerc to secure a memorable success. Even so, the Ferrari driver knows better than anyone that maintaining perspective will be crucial over the coming races.
In that respect, Charles Leclerc believes there is plenty to learn from team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who has consistently remained calm during moments of excitement while motivating the team through its most difficult periods. He is far less convinced by some sections of the media, whom he believes often shape the facts to fit preconceived opinions rather than allowing the evidence to speak for itself.
Charles Leclerc’s comments
Despite his victory at Silverstone, Charles Leclerc believes his adaptation to the Ferrari SF-26 is still far from complete.
“I haven’t gone through an easy period. We’re still only at the beginning, and Silverstone was just one race. I mustn’t get carried away thinking the battle is over. The struggle with this car has been quite tough recently, and I can’t assume that it’s now behind me. I’ll keep working and I’ll try to experience these feelings more often from now on.”
The Ferrari driver also explained that the current generation of Formula 1 cars demands a very different driving approach compared to previous seasons.
“These cars are very unusual, different from the ones we’ve driven since we first started racing, so it takes a bit more time to adapt. I was very competitive during the first part of the season, but then I lost some of my feeling with the car,” he added.
“We made quite a few changes to the car, and it took a little longer than I would have liked to get back to the level I wanted.”
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