As Ferrari faces one of its most turbulent starts to a Formula 1 season in recent memory, team driver Charles Leclerc has broken his silence—offering unwavering support for team principal Fred Vasseur while affirming his own commitment to the Scuderia despite growing speculation about his future.
A rocky start to the 2025 F1 Season
Ferrari's 2025 campaign, once filled with promise, has quickly turned into a season marred by underperformance. With just seven races completed, Leclerc sits in fifth in the Drivers’ standings, boasting only one podium finish. Even more concerning, Ferrari finds itself in fourth place in the Constructors’ standings—an eye-watering 165 points adrift of championship leaders McLaren.
The SF-25, Ferrari’s much-hyped challenger that was said to have shaved off half a second per lap compared to its predecessor, has failed to deliver the expected performance gains. Meanwhile, McLaren has surged ahead in dominance, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen hot on their heels, and Mercedes also proving more consistent on the grid.
Amid the chaos, scrutiny has intensified around Vasseur, who took the reins of the iconic Italian team in 2023. Once a beacon of optimism aimed at shifting Ferrari away from its long-standing reputation for a “toxic” blame culture, Fred Vasseur is now under pressure to produce tangible results.
Charles Leclerc stands by his team principal
Yet in the face of external doubts, Leclerc’s faith in Vasseur remains resolute.
“I’ve always said I have total trust in Fred and I truly believe he is the right person to bring Ferrari back to the top,” Leclerc said in an interview with L’Equipe. “He really is the one who can make it win. I’ve always said it.”
His words reaffirm his belief in Ferrari’s internal rebuild, with Charles Leclerc emphasizing that the path to resurgence will take time and consistency. Despite the challenging start, he remains convinced Fred Vasseur has the leadership and strategic vision necessary to restore Ferrari’s legacy.
Refusing to walk away
Speculation over Leclerc’s own future at Ferrari has intensified in recent months. With performance stagnating and the driver urged by pundits—most notably former F1 boss Guenther Steiner—to seek a “new challenge,” some believed Leclerc might be next to follow in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps, who famously moved from Mercedes to Ferrari.
But the Monegasque driver shut down such talk unequivocally.
“Of course not, there is absolutely no chance,” Charles Leclerc said when asked if he would consider leaving.
“I believe in the project and I believe in Fred. Clearly, it’s a complicated moment and in times like this it’s easy to have doubts.
But I’m not thinking about leaving Ferrari, I want to win with Ferrari. And I will stay as long as I believe in this project. And I believe in it.”
Eyes still on the championship
Despite trailing McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 85 points heading into his home race at Monaco, Leclerc refuses to concede the championship battle.
“This year we all believed in the team,” he stated. “But unfortunately, the start of the season was more complicated than expected.
I haven’t lost hope, because the championship is still very long. Last year Red Bull started very strong, but it was McLaren who became champion.
I will give my all until the end to try to win the title this year.”
With Charles Leclerc doubling down on his loyalty and confidence in Fred Vasseur, the message from Ferrari’s star driver is loud and clear—he’s staying the course, no matter how rough the road ahead.