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Leclerc Yearns for Winning Ferrari Amid Struggles

Ferrari’s Leclerc: “A Car to Win With” Is What I Need

19/08/2024

Leclerc shares his aspiration for a competitive Ferrari, despite current performance gaps, aiming for the championship.

Charles Leclerc hopes that Ferrari will climb back up the rankings in the future, as the team has lost its edge in recent races, currently ranking as the fourth strongest on the grid, though the leading group remains tightly contested.

“At the moment, we are not yet where we want to be in terms of performance, but we are working very hard,” Leclerc told the Gentleman’s Journal. “I am confident that the future is bright with the team and the way we are working. However, given the situation we are in right now, I would have liked to have a car capable of winning.”

Leclerc explains that he wants to win with Ferrari because he did not expect to reach such a level with the Scuderia: “My goal with Ferrari is to become a Formula 1 World Champion and that is all. I only want this with Ferrari, so for now, I am solely focused on this.”

“I did not expect to be where I am today. My father always reminded me how difficult and unlikely it would be. Even if you are talented, having talent alone is not enough to make it to Formula 1.”

“There are many talented kids around the world, but it takes a bit of luck to be in the right place at the right time and to have people who support you along the way. I was fortunate that Ferrari supported me very early on and that my manager also supported me to get to where I am today.”

“My father would like me to win races”

The Monegasque recounted his first experience in karting, with his father and that of Jules Bianchi: “I lied to my father by telling him I was not feeling well. I told him I was sick, but that was not true, I just did not want to go to school and he believed me, so he had to keep me with him.”

“By coincidence, he was going to visit his best friend, Philippe Bianchi, who was managing a karting track at the time, an hour and a half from Monaco, and I accompanied him. From that moment, it was clear that this was what I wanted to do.”

“My father did everything and showed me all the steps to reach Formula 1. He was so passionate and obviously wanted the best for me, and as soon as he saw that I loved it, which was his priority, he made sure to give me the right advice to succeed in this sport.”

This is how Charles met Jules, who became his mentor: “He was actually the son of my father’s best friend who managed the karting track the day I tried it for the first time. He helped me in my career until his accident in 2014 in Japan.”

Leclerc acknowledges that the death of his father in 2017, two years after that of Jules Bianchi, was very difficult to overcome. However, these challenges helped him become stronger.

“The people I’ve lost were those who wanted the best for me, and whenever I questioned what they would want me to do, the answer came back quickly: my father would just want me to put on the helmet and go win races.”

“One can mentally prepare for many things, especially in my professional life, such as being focused and relaxed in intense situations. But nothing really prepares you for a very difficult personal moment that you have to go through.”

Leclerc Yearns for Winning Ferrari Amid Struggles

Leclerc Yearns for Winning Ferrari Amid Struggles Leclerc Yearns for Winning Ferrari Amid Struggles

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