Charles Leclerc strongly denies rumours of leaving Ferrari and insists he, Vasseur and Hamilton share a united vision for success.
Charles Leclerc has denied considering a departure from Ferrari, admitting he was “surprised” to hear doubts about the team’s prospects in Formula 1.
Ferrari arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend amid rumors that team principal Fred Vasseur could be replaced, as the team begins the 2025 season with little enthusiasm.
Speculation surrounding Vasseur’s position at the helm coincided with a claim – from the Italian press – that Leclerc may now be open to leaving due to alleged concerns about Ferrari’s direction.
An Italian newspaper suggested that the Monegasque was not convinced the Italian brand could provide him with a car capable of winning the title under the 2026 regulations. According to the report, his entourage had supposedly expressed these concerns.
However, Leclerc denied considering an exit, reiterating his desire to end Ferrari’s run of titleless seasons.
“I’m very surprised,” Leclerc said Thursday in the Montreal paddock.
“I have no idea where it’s coming from. So yes, I prefer to ignore it.”
“I’ve never said anything like that in recent races. On the contrary, I keep repeating how much I love the team and how much I want to bring Ferrari back to the top. So I was surprised.”
Leclerc agreed with teammate Lewis Hamilton that Ferrari would be wrong to part ways with Vasseur, under whom he worked during his rookie F1 season at Sauber in 2018.
“We share a common vision between the three of us. You know, Fred, Lewis and I, to try to get back to winning. And we’ve worked hard to put everything in place. So yes, that’s clearly our plan. And I think we need to stick to it.”
Leclerc, who has a long-term contract with Ferrari, emphasized that he has grown used to the unfounded rumors surrounding the Maranello-based team.
“The pressure… we already put a lot of pressure on ourselves. And then, of course, there are rumors, which are not something you want to hear. But pressure is normal. When you work for Ferrari, finishing second is never enough. But we’re all aware of that.”
“So external pressure has no impact on the pressure we place on ourselves. We want to win. And as I keep saying, it’s not enough.”
“But I’m not the only one saying it – the whole team knows it’s not enough and that Ferrari should be winning.”
“And that’s what we’re all thinking about – bringing Ferrari back to the top. For now, McLaren is a stronger team and it’s up to us to respond.”
“But yes, everything said outside the team needs to be completely forgotten. I think I’ve gotten used to it over the years.”
“Obviously, there are times when you have to deal with more rumors, especially from the media, because the questions are about certain topics and that’s not always pleasant. But I understand it.”
“And in the end, Ferrari is like that and has always been like that. So you have to deal with it. But I don’t think it affects us.”
