Leclerc opens up about ’emotional’ Ferrari change
Charles Leclerc has voiced his confidence in Ferrari ahead of the 2025 F1 season, praising what he feels is a “more solid” team than it was a year ago.
Speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, the Monegasque driver shared how the Maranello-based squad has “emotionally” developed in that time.
It is something that may prove to be the missing ingredient as Ferrari hunts down a first title since 2008 and, if translated to on-track success, could prevent another false dawn for the team.
After finishing 2023 looking strong, Ferrari was unable to truly capitalise on that form over winter into last term, and despite starting the year with the second-best package to Red Bull, it feel behind McLaren – a title-defining slip.
Therefore, whilst the Scuderia was able to get the better of the Milton Keynes team – and Mercedes, which dropped from second to fourth – it could only attain runner-up in the constructors’ championship standings, behind the papaya outfit.
Now, with new team-mate Lewis Hamilton alongside, the eight-time grand prix winner and Ferrari are working towards ending the Italian squad’s 17-year title drought.
Although Ferrari heads into the 2025 campaign as favourites with McLaren, Leclerc says it is difficult to know whether the team will find enough over the off-season to seize the initiative.
“Formula 1 is a relative sport, and we can only know what we do ourselves,” the 26-year-old said. “I have very good confidence that we are doing everything right at the moment, and as a team, we are a lot more solid.
“I’m not speaking much about the technical part of it, but again, everything is relative – and we don’t know if Red Bull or McLaren have found something very special for this year’s car.
“So it is very difficult to say anything on that matter. We are just focusing on ourselves and trying to do the best possible job.”
Leclerc on ‘mentality’ and ’emotional attachment’
In Leclerc’s view, the “mentality” within Ferrari could be the difference maker from 12 months ago.
He believes the Scuderia has made the positive step of retaining its passion, whilst drastically reducing the emotional impact of poor results and form.
“The mentality within the team and the way we work is so much better, and that we are a much more solid team,” he explained.
“And I’ve always said that Ferrari is incredible, because there’s so much passion within the team, and that’s great because everybody is willing to work the extra hour and is really motivated to change things for better.
“However, when things are going bad, people working in Ferrari are more affected because they have an emotional attachment to the brand, which you maybe have less in other teams.
“I feel like we’ve taken this step. Yes, there’s still the passion, but we are a lot less emotionally affected by whatever is going on around the team, which I think is very positive.”
