Charles Leclerc continues to struggle at Ferrari this season, having had very few weekends that could be considered strong. The Monegasque driver has finished on the podium just twice this season and has failed to finish in the top three in any other race. As a result of him still finding it difficult to rediscover his form, he has once again opened up about potentially moving away from Ferrari.
The rumors of a potential exit for the 25-year-old have grown all the more recently as Ferrari has failed to provide him with a car that is capable of fighting for the world championship. Many expected a lot from Leclerc this year after he finished second in the Drivers’ Championship last season.
Charles Leclerc was furious with Magnussen for getting in his way in Q2! 😬#BelgianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/DVGMoAmpoB
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 28, 2023
However, much to his disappointment, he just does not have a car that can help him fight consistently for podiums this season, let alone wins. Despite all his struggles, he has once again reiterated his desire to stay at Ferrari and has no intention of leaving the team even though many sources are linking him with a blockbuster move to Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc reiterates his desire to win with Ferrari
Even though many have advised him to move on to another team to achieve his goals of winning a world championship, Charles Leclerc reiterated his desire to win with Ferrari by explaining how his heart lies in Maranello. While the Monegasque acknowledges that he may not be able to win a race this season, he has no problem in remaining patient.
“I’ve always been a driver and a person who works with the heart rather than reason. I love Ferrari. My career goal is to be world champion with this team and bring them back to the top of the top,” explained the 25-year-old in an interview with Belgian broadcaster RTBF (as quoted by autoracing1.com).
After stating the same, he added how he is looking forward to a much-needed summer break. Leclerc stated that he is keen on disconnecting during the break by travelling to Corsica and Sardinia with some of his family and friends.
While the Monegasque is excited about the upcoming break, he still has some concerning issues to deal with. The most important among these is his future with Ferrari as his contract expires at the end of the next season.
Fred Vasseur explains why there’s a delay to extend Leclerc’s deal
Even though Charles Leclerc remains determined to stay at Ferrari, it is pertinent to note that they still haven’t opened an official dialogue to extend the contract. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has repeatedly explained that there is no urgency for the same as the 25-year-old has a contract until the end of the next season.
While speaking to corrieredellosport.it in a recent interview, Vasseur stated that the focus of the team is to improve the car rather than to engage in contract discussions. However, he made it clear that he was happy with both his drivers and that their contract disputes would be settled soon.
Since Ferrari’s focus is on improving the car, the fans will hope that the Italian outfit can return to the front of the field next season. If that were to happen, it would also give Leclerc an opportunity to accomplish his childhood dream of winning with a championship with Ferrari.
