Leclerc stakes his claim: ‘I’m ready to become world champion’

While the spotlight shines on Lewis Hamilton this week in Maranello, Charles Leclerc is determined to remind the world that he is ready to become an F1 world champion with Ferrari this year.

At 27 years old, Leclerc is entering his sixth season with the Italian outfit and will share the garage with one of the sport's most iconic figures.

But while Hamilton’s high-profile move to the Scuderia has dominated headlines, Leclerc intends to stake his claim as Ferrari’s leading title contender.

“I’m ready to be Formula 1 World Champion,” he said in a recent interview with RacingNews365.

“We just need a car that, over the course of the season, is capable of doing that. I’m confident that we’re the next team that can do that and beat Red Bull for the championship.”

Lessons Learned and Growth

Leclerc derives his confidence not only from his evident speed but also from the personal growth he’s achieved over recent seasons.

Reflecting on his development as a driver, the Monegasque highlighted how refining his mindset has allowed him to extract the best from difficult situations.

“I have improved in the way that I accept more when a weekend doesn’t go exactly as I want it to,” he explained.

“In the past, when it didn’t go as I wanted, when the car wasn’t as I wanted, I would try to find something in the car that wasn’t there, and that would make me make mistakes.

“That also made it sometimes days when I did something that was hardly possible, but I felt like it was more of a burden than a reward,” he continued.

©Ferrari

Leclerc emphasized how this shift in mentality helped him consistently maximize points during the 2024 season.

“In that respect, I improved a lot,” he added. “I felt like I was maximising a lot more points over the course of the season, but that doesn’t mean I’ll never cross that line again.

“It’s always about trying to get as close to the limit as possible without ever going over it, but I feel like I’ve made a step forward in that area, yes.”

A Season of High Stakes

Leclerc’s resolve will be tested in 2025, both externally and internally.

Red Bull remains the benchmark after Max Verstappen’s dominant 2024 championship run, but Ferrari’s resurgence, which saw them finish just 14 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ standings, positions them as strong contenders.

• Read also: Rosberg warns Hamilton: Leclerc challenge biggest test yet

Internally, Leclerc must also contend with the challenge of a new teammate in Hamilton, whose arrival adds a layer of complexity to the Ferrari dynamic.

The Briton, now 40, remains as motivated as ever to chase an eighth world title and will undoubtedly push Leclerc to new limits.

Leclerc, however, is no stranger to competing against elite teammates, having previously bested four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel during their time at Ferrari.

Much like then, his first objective will be to establish himself as the team’s leading driver.

No Worries for Vasseur

Despite the inherent risks of pairing two elite competitors, Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is optimistic that Leclerc and Hamilton’s relationship will be productive rather than explosive.

“Charles and Lewis, I’m not particularly worried about this,” he said last month.

“They have a huge mutual respect, they know each other, they are speaking about this for months now and I think it is much better to fight for one-two or two-three on the grid than for 19-20.”

Reflecting on Leclerc’s development, Vasseur praised his driver’s progress.

“I think Charles improved a lot in the management, not just tyre management, the management of the race, in the approach before the weekend,” the Frenchman said.

“For sure it’s never perfect, and we have all to do improvement everywhere, but I think he is in a better shape today than he was 12 months ago. We still have to work and develop this, but he is on the right way.”

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