The media was abuzz this week with rumors surrounding Ferrari. Team boss Fred Vasseur was said to have only a few more Grands Prix to prove himself before the top brass in Maranello might dismiss him. Charles Leclerc, now in his seventh season with Ferrari, was also reportedly losing patience. Italian sources reported that he had shown interest in other teams. In the run-up to the Canadian GP, the Monegasque wanted to firmly dispel these rumors.
Charles Leclerc showed irritation when confronted with the exit rumors about him. During the media sessions in Montreal, he was surprised that such gossip was circulating. “I am very surprised,” he responded. “I have no idea where it comes from – I will just ignore it. It’s not as if I’ve shown dissatisfaction in recent races. On the contrary, I have repeatedly stated that I love Ferrari and that I want to bring this team back to the top,” Leclerc assured.
The rumors that Vasseur might not get a new contract at Ferrari also do not affect Leclerc. “We have a shared vision, the three of us – Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton, and I,” he explained. “We want to win. We have been working extremely hard recently to achieve that goal. That’s our plan, and I think we should stick to it.” Leclerc admitted that he is not exactly satisfied with the current state of affairs at Ferrari. The team hoped to continue the form of late 2024, but has only achieved three podium finishes this year.
Chasing McLaren
“I think none of us are satisfied with the current state of affairs,” he sighed. “That much is clear. We started the season thinking we could challenge McLaren and Red Bull for the title. So far, that hasn’t really worked out. But to be fair, I also think that not many teams have got it right this year – apart from McLaren. They have made a huge leap forward compared to last year. Much more than anyone else.”
“McLaren is doing an excellent job,” Charles Leclerc praised the Woking-based team. “We are absolutely not satisfied with the situation we currently find ourselves in. But I think we need to reinvent ourselves – just like Mercedes and Red Bull. We need to find the key that McLaren already has in their possession. In doing so, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves.” Leclerc emphasized that Ferrari is fully focused on competitiveness. “When you work for Ferrari, second place is never good enough,” he concluded emphatically. “But we are all aware of that. External pressure doesn’t change anything. We know very well that it’s currently not good enough – Ferrari is supposed to win.”
