Charles Leclerc positions himself as Max Verstappen’s main rival
In his six seasons with Ferrari, Charles Leclerc has only had one opportunity to fight for the title. That was in 2022, but his championship hopes faded by mid-season due to Ferrari’s insufficient developments and a Red Bull that laid the foundation for the dominant reign that Formula 1 witnessed helplessly in 2023.
Now, Charles Leclerc is undoubtedly a more mature driver. More importantly, he is driving a different Ferrari. It remains uncertain whether the 2025 car will give him a shot at the title, but the team has a new identity and has improved in every aspect under Fred Vasseur’s management. These factors give the #16 driver hope of resuming his fight against Max Verstappen after two and a half years.
Charles Leclerc’s comments
“Only when I find myself in this position consistently will I be able to say for sure. But I believe I’m ready to fight against Max. He’s a driver I’ve always competed against—doing it in Formula 1 is different, the stakes are much higher, but it’s not something I’m unfamiliar with,” Charles Leclerc said, referring to their karting battles.
“What can I do differently compared to last year to win the championship? I just need to build on 2024, which was a very solid year. I remember that in 2023, there were too many wasted opportunities where I tried to pull off a miracle instead of securing important points and simply accepting that I didn’t have the pace to win or get on the podium. In 2024, I changed my approach and believe I made a big step forward,” he added. “And when I look back at my 2024 season, there weren’t many weekends where I lost points. Now, it’s mainly about improving every single detail—both in the team and myself. I’m not just talking about driving but also about how I work with my engineer, how I can communicate a message faster and more clearly. It’s all these small details that ultimately make the difference.” – Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc concluded.
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