Leclerc Chases Ferrari Glory

MONZA, Italy | Charles Leclerc has spent eight seasons as Ferrari’s popular Monegasque prince, but the Formula One crown he longs for has continued to elude him.

The 28-year-old believes becoming world champion in 2027 “is still possible,” although he admitted in August that it would be “surely a difficult goal to achieve.”

Leclerc has shown his speed again this season. He won at Silverstone and earned three other podium finishes.

He arrives at Ferrari’s home race at Monza fifth in the drivers’ standings, 87 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli. He also trails Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Leclerc has twice won the Italian Grand Prix, where Ferrari supporters pack the circuit hoping to see a red car triumph.

Ferrari recruited him after an impressive rookie season with Sauber in 2018. He has since scored nine Formula One victories, including a home win in Monaco and two successes at Monza.

His closest attempt at the championship came in 2022, when he finished a distant second behind Max Verstappen. He placed third in 2024.

Leclerc signed a contract extension in June that will keep him at Ferrari until the end of 2028.

Despite Ferrari’s recent struggles, he spoke of his attachment to the Italian team during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort in August.

Leclerc has grown into a leading figure at Ferrari while also gaining attention away from racing through social media and his music releases.

“I’ve changed a lot, because through experiences, good and bad, you mature enormously as a driver and as a person,” Leclerc said.

“I grew up in Italy with karting and absorbed a lot of Italian passion and emotion. But over the years, I’ve managed to handle those emotions better when things are going very well or very badly.”

Leclerc recently acknowledged that reports about his inconsistent performances had affected him.

His difficulty in turning speed into a sustained title challenge reflects Ferrari’s long wait for another championship.

The Italian team last won the constructors’ crown in 2008. Kimi Raikkonen was the most recent Ferrari driver to capture the world title, in 2007.

“The passion within Ferrari is an incredible force, and when things aren’t going as they should, we work tirelessly to turn the tide,” Leclerc said.

“But it can hurt too. When things aren’t going well, people feel it very deeply.”

He credited team principal Fred Vasseur, who joined Ferrari before the 2023 season, with bringing greater stability to the operation.

“Fred has really brought that calm, that cool-headedness needed to make the environment less prone to emotional outbursts,” Leclerc said.

The tifosi will again turn Monza and nearby Milan red this weekend. Leclerc expects their “immense enthusiasm” to sweep through Ferrari’s home Grand Prix.

“My love for Ferrari and for this sport is the same as it was on the very first day,” he said.