Charles Leclerc is set to drive for Ferrari for his seventh season this year, and being associated with such a prestigious brand comes with significant benefits. Besides having access to some of the company’s most luxurious cars, Ferrari drivers also receive exclusive memorabilia.
ESPN journalist Nate Saunders wanted to get his hands on a Ferrari pin that the Monegasque wore with his Ferrari suit at the recent F175 event.
This wasn’t the first time Leclerc had worn the striking pin—he and his former Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, also sported it during the Gladiator premiere in London last year.
Since Saunders had no direct access to the Ferrari team, he believed the only way to obtain the memorabilia was by placing a bet with Leclerc. And that bet has everything to do with Leclerc’s childhood dream—to win the championship in the iconic Scarlet red Ferrari.
This is how the conversation panned out:
Saunders: Where do I get my hands on one of those pins that you have got on there; the Ferrari pin?
Leclerc: Oh I think in any Ferrari-style boutique, they will have it.
Saunders: Oh okay, I was going to make a bet. I was going to say if you win the championship, can I have it? But it sounds like, I don’t even need it.
Leclerc: Well, I’ll definitely get you one if I win the championship.
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Leclerc, who last contended for the title in 2022 before losing to Max Verstappen, could arguably have his best chance of winning the championship this year.
Why 2025 could be Leclerc and Ferrari’s year?
Ferrari emerged as the closest challenger to Constructors’ Champions McLaren last year, and the Italian team is likely to carry that momentum into this season.
Additionally, with Leclerc already well-established at Ferrari, he has a deep understanding of both the team’s operations and the car’s characteristics.
He could use this familiarity to his advantage, maximizing the performance of the SF-25, which features significant changes compared to its predecessor, the SF-24. The most notable upgrade is in the front suspension, as Ferrari has switched from a push-rod to a pull-rod setup this season.
According to Ferrari’s press release, “The thinking behind this change in architecture was to clean up the airflow around the car, while also giving greater scope for further aero development, which had pretty much been exhausted with the previous iteration“.
With 2025 being the final year of the current regulations, it’s inevitable that team concepts will converge, reducing the scope for major improvements.
However, if this change helps Ferrari find more pace, it could significantly boost their drivers’ chances of fighting for race wins—and possibly even the championship.
