AUSTIN, Texas
Last year, at this time, Charles Leclerc was in Ferrari’s hospitality area before the 2024 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, playing down his team’s prospects. Ferrari was competing with McLaren for the constructors’ championship in 2024, but Leclerc expressed uncertainty over whether their upgrade package would yield the desired results.
Fast forward to Sunday, when he, along with teammate Carlos Sainz Jr., celebrated on the podium, marking a stunning achievement for Ferrari.
This year, however, Leclerc found himself addressing a different topic when he faced the media in Ferrari’s hospitality space.
There are swirling rumors about Ferrari potentially withdrawing from the sport.
The team is currently vying for second place in the championship against Mercedes, and concerns about Leclerc’s future have arisen, especially as they fall behind in that contest. His comments after the Singapore Grand Prix seemed to unsettle some engineers, with his manager expressing the need for a “winning car,” as reported by Italian media.
Despite the buzz, Leclerc appeared on Thursday and reaffirmed his commitment.
When asked about the speculation, he said, “What I can say is what I’ve always said; it’s very clear. I’ve always loved Ferrari immensely. My sole obsession right now, and in the future, is to win in red. I want to help bring Ferrari back to the forefront.”
Leclerc’s future isn’t the only topic generating speculation within the team. There’s also chatter linking former Red Bull manager Christian Horner to a role at Maranello. During a recent FIA press conference, Lewis Hamilton labeled the rumor a “useless distraction,” which Leclerc echoed later in the day.
“It’s always been like this, and I think, as drivers, we need to focus on ourselves, and that’s what we’re doing. But seeing these rumors constantly isn’t great.”
“This isn’t the situation we aspire to, considering our performances aren’t where we want them to be. Yet, we’re all committed to turning things around, and those rumors tend to resurface whenever we struggle to achieve results.”
“But what I’m saying today is consistent with what I’ve been expressing for the last six or seven years with the team.”
When questioned about whether Ferrari and he could reclaim the top spot given the team’s recent setbacks, Leclerc pointed to the people in the organization as a source of hope for the future.
Asked if winning the title with Ferrari was genuinely achievable, Leclerc replied, “Because I know the people here.”
“We’re diligently working on improving our processes and our approach. New personnel with fresh perspectives are joining the team, which fills me with optimism for what’s to come.”
“Yet, as I mentioned, next year is set to be a pivotal turning point.”
“I get that, but I remain hopeful because I trust the team and its members, and I can see we’re moving in the right direction. Although, as previously noted, some of our rivals have recently made advancements, which implies we might be lagging behind.”
“Yes, we seem to be losing a bit of performance compared to them, but that’s somewhat inevitable if we aren’t updating our strategy while others are.”
“But that’s a choice we’ve made, and we hope it will yield positive results in the upcoming months.”
As for this year’s victories, with McLaren having already secured the constructors’ championship, Ferrari is now concentrating on its battle with Mercedes for second place.
The Silver Arrows currently hold a 27-point advantage, but Leclerc insists he’s “not giving up” on the pursuit.
“I can’t recall how many points separate us, but I think they’ve recently moved ahead of us. We need to stay in the race because things can change quickly, especially in the constructors’ standings where both cars matter. McLaren has already clinched the title, so our aim is still to finish second in that championship. It’s a realistic goal,” Leclerc affirmed.
