Leclerc's Drive to Win Remains Unshaken Ahead of Austin

Charles Leclerc’s victories in Monaco and Monza haven’t diminished his fierce determination to succeed in Austin, as the Ferrari driver remains relentlessly focused on each race ahead.

This year, Charles Leclerc has secured two of the most significant victories for both himself and Ferrari, triumphing in front of his home crowd in Monaco and winning for the tifosi at Monza. However, according to Jock Clear, Ferrari’s performance engineer, these achievements haven’t diminished the Monegasque driver’s motivation for the rest of the season.

“Honestly, if you spoke to him, he’d tell you he’s thrilled to have won those two races,” Clear explained on the F1 Nation podcast. “They’re two iconic events, no matter the year, but to win both in the same season is something special.”

“But honestly, that won’t make any difference in Austin next week. He’ll want to win that race just as much. That’s the beauty of sport at any level—once you’re on the track, all that matters is beating the guy next to you on the day, and that adrenaline rush is there every week for us.”

While the championship appears out of reach for Leclerc, who trails Max Verstappen by 86 points, Clear remains confident that the Monegasque driver and Ferrari can still claim victories in the six remaining rounds.

“Absolutely. We’re in a position where four cars, maybe more, can go to every race believing they have a shot at winning, and that’s a fantastic feeling. It’s truly fantastic.”

“We don’t mind having to fight against McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull simultaneously. We much prefer this kind of challenge to simply chasing Max and hoping for a surprise, which can be demoralising. Right now, the competition is healthy. It’s a brilliant sport at the moment.”