AUSTIN, Texas — This time final 12 months, Charles Leclerc stood in Ferrari’s hospitality house forward of the 2024 System 1 United States Grand Prix and downplayed the group’s possibilities within the race forward. Ferrari was locked in a battle with McLaren for the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, however Leclerc was unsure an improve bundle would ship the outcomes they have been hoping for.
But on Sunday, he was on the highest step of the rostrum, with teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. alongside him, as Ferrari delivered a shocking entrance row lockout.
This 12 months, nevertheless, Leclerc stood in entrance of the media in Ferrari’s hospitality house and downplayed one thing else.
Rumors of a Ferrari exit.
With the group at present combating with Mercedes for P2 within the championship — and trailing in that battle — rumors about Leclerc’s future have begun to swirl. His feedback after the Singapore Grand Prix reportedly rankled among the group’s engineers, in keeping with Italian media, and Leclerc’s supervisor even spoke of the necessity for a “successful automotive.”
But right here was Leclerc on Thursday, making it clear the place his coronary heart lies.
“What I can say is what I’ve all the time stated, and that’s very clear,” started Leclerc when requested concerning the hypothesis. “I’ve all the time cherished Ferrari a lot, and my solely obsession in the mean time is to win in purple, whether or not it’s now or sooner or later, and I need to carry again Ferrari to the highest.”
Leclerc’s future will not be the one little bit of hypothesis concerning the group in purple, as paddock chatter has linked former Purple Bull boss Christian Horner with a transfer to Maranello. In the course of the FIA Press Convention earlier within the day, Lewis Hamilton labeled that rumor as an “unhelpful distraction,” and Leclerc echoed that sentiment later within the afternoon.
“There are many speculations round me, however simply normally across the group for no matter cause, I really feel like there are too many individuals talking issues and never coming from precise info, and it’s just a bit bit annoying,” began Leclerc.
”It’s all the time been like that, and I feel as a driver, however I feel as a group we’ve simply bought to concentrate on our issues, which is what we’re doing, nevertheless it’s simply not nice and never tremendous good to see all this stuff across the group on a regular basis.
”It’s undoubtedly not a scenario we need to be in, in a approach that the efficiency will not be on the degree the place we need to be. However we’re all targeted on making an attempt to show that scenario round, as I used to be saying, and every time there’s these conditions the place the outcomes are usually not there, then there are all the time these rumors round that come again.
“However what I say immediately is what I’ve stated prior to now six or seven years with the group, yeah.”
Pressed on whether or not Ferrari and Leclerc can return to the highest, given the group’s current historical past, the driving force emphasised that the individuals within the constructing are what give him hope for the longer term.
“As a result of I do know the individuals,” stated Leclerc when requested if a title was certainly potential at Ferrari.
”I imply, we’re pushing massively in making an attempt to enhance our processes and in the best way we work, and there are additionally new individuals coming to the group with totally different mindsets and likewise other ways of working, and that’s giving me a number of optimism for the longer term.
“However as I stated, clearly subsequent 12 months goes to be an important turning level,” continued Leclerc.
”And we’ll see, however I’m optimistic as a result of I do know the group, I do know the individuals, and I do know that we’re working in the proper route, regardless that, as I stated earlier, a few of our opponents got here with upgrades lately, and it would seem like we’re going [backward].
”And yeah, evidently we’ve misplaced somewhat little bit of efficiency in comparison with them, however that’s type of anticipated once we don’t have an improve when the others do.
“However that’s a selection, and I hope a selection that may repay in midterm talking concerning the starting of subsequent 12 months.”
As for what successful in purple appears to be like like this 12 months, with McLaren having already clinched the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari has turned their concentrate on the battle for second with Mercedes.
In the meanwhile, the Silver Arrows lead in that battle by 27 factors, however Leclerc is totally not “giving up” in that chase.
“I imply, I don’t know what number of factors there are in between us, however I feel they overtook us lately, so, yeah. It could possibly swing a method or one other very, in a short time, particularly on the Constructors’ the place you’ve bought each automobiles, so we’ve bought to remain on it after which the goal remains to be to complete P2 in that championship as clearly McLaren already received, so, yeah, that’s a goal and I feel an actual life like one,” stated Leclerc.
