Leclerc on leaving Ferrari to win a world title: the driver’s answer
Charles Leclerc faced a difficult question: would he leave Ferrari to win a drivers’ championship? As he has emphasized many times, Charles Leclerc loves Scuderia Ferrari and his main goal remains to win the drivers’ title with the Italian team.
Although the Monegasque driver has been with Ferrari since 2019, he has only eight Grand Prix victories to his name. Since joining the team, he has never been in a serious championship battle. The closest he came was in 2022, but updates failed to keep pace with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Last year, Ferrari came close to winning the Constructors’ Championship, but McLaren edged them out by 14 points. This year was expected to be the breakthrough season, yet the dominance of the papaya-colored cars has exceeded everyone’s expectations.
With Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in strong contention for the title, Charles Leclerc’s commitment to Ferrari has been questioned. Given that the Italian team has not provided him with the tools to compete against the McLaren duo or Max Verstappen, should he consider a future change?
Charles Leclerc’s statements
Charles Leclerc has affirmed that he still has full faith in Ferrari, especially looking ahead to the new regulations coming in 2026. During interviews in Baku, he admitted: “Because I love this team so much, I think that’s the answer. I have always loved Ferrari, and that’s where I draw my motivation, because I want to bring Ferrari back to the top. No matter how long it takes.”
“I will absolutely do everything I can until I stop believing in the project. But for now, I am fully committed, working at full pace, and that’s what drives me,” explained the 27-year-old.
The 2025 car has yet to meet expectations. In fact, the SF-25 has not won a single Grand Prix this year, making Ferrari the only top team still winless in 2025.
“Of course, this doesn’t erase the disappointment I felt at the start of the season when I saw we were several steps behind McLaren,” he added. “But then you start again and find motivation in other goals, other targets, which for now is the hope of achieving a victory this year.”
“It’s disappointing, especially compared to where we wanted to be. But this is the situation we are in, and as a driver I have to make the best of it, not just for the team but for myself. I am also very competitive, so having two cars in the team is another factor that pushes me to stay at the top and keep improving.”
Handling external pressures
This disappointing start to the season for Maranello sparked rumors about Frederic Vasseur’s future. However, the French team principal has signed a new agreement that will keep him with Ferrari for the next few seasons.
Before the announcement, both Ferrari drivers faced many questions about the team’s situation, especially given the circulating rumors. Charles Leclerc stated that with the experience he has gained, he now manages external pressure and Ferrari-related rumors much better.
“It’s what I have done since I started working for this team. Obviously, 2019 was a bit tougher because I was young, everything was new… and there was a lot of hype just around me. But being in red in my second year in Formula 1 was really special.”
He added: “Since then, it’s important to take a step back. You don’t always have to react emotionally to what’s being said around you.”
“I think it’s very important to stay focused, and in this regard, I believe we are doing a good job. But not good enough yet, because we need to get back to winning soon.”
Leave a Reply