Why Charles Leclerc nonetheless backs Ferrari’s 2026 “wager” after painful 2025 F1 season

Charles Leclerc stays satisfied Ferrari made the precise determination to focus early on the 2026 laws regardless of what has been a tough 2025 season for the Scuderia.

Talking forward of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the race that may carry a difficult season for the Monegasque to a detailed, Leclerc mirrored on his tough marketing campaign. Qatar, as you’d anticipate, was a sore level for the motive force.

“Effectively, we now have concepts of what we might have examined. Whether or not these are the options is one other story. So we do not have the 100% answer to it.

“However we have got concepts in what we did not attempt throughout that weekend. And clearly, we’re clearly doing one thing improper throughout the weekend, as we weren’t robust from FP1 to the race. So yeah, we now have concepts.

“Whether or not we now have the clear answer, I do not suppose so.”

Requested whether or not the staff is anticipating the same stage of efficiency in Abu Dhabi, Leclerc rejected that concept.

“No, certainly it has been accentuated by the truth that Qatar was by no means going to be a observe the place we might be robust. However we did not carry out on the stage the place we ought to be anyway. We must always have performed higher regardless that the attribute of the observe was not good for us.

“However for this weekend, I anticipate us to be again to the place we ought to be, which might be third staff or one thing like that.”

The second a part of the season noticed Ferrari’s efficiency tail off as rivals comparable to Crimson Bull and Mercedes continued to carry upgrades. Ferrari as an alternative selected to prioritise improvement of subsequent 12 months’s automobile the place each the chassis and powertrain will bear substantial adjustments.

“To start with of ’22 we really began off fairly strongly, however we have been combating porpoising the place Crimson Bull had a really secure platform, and so they have been really quite a bit chubby.

“In order quickly as they took off that weight, they have been all of the sudden on the stage the place they have been since then. After which for that final 12 months, we centered very early on subsequent 12 months’s automobile, which I hope is a wager that will likely be a successful one.

“However for certain, it has some affect from the final two thirds of the season the place we have been struggling greater than others as a result of we did not carry that many upgrades. However usually, it is simply been a era of vehicles that have been very, very obscure.

“And what labored again on the manufacturing facility, I feel everyone has been stunned at least one time instances that once you carry it on observe, it does not correlate precisely to what you have been anticipating from that half.

“And that was the problem of it. And different groups did higher, particularly McLaren and Crimson Bull.”

The eight-time race winner has no regrets in regard to the main target of improvement, regardless of it which means this 12 months’s automobile failed to enhance.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Picture by: Noushad Thekkayil / NurPhoto by way of Getty Photographs

“Not a lot as a result of we have been at a technical drawback from the primary race. It isn’t prefer it modified massively our method to the season and we noticed it comparatively rapidly that we would not be combating for the world title as a result of McLaren was too robust. Crimson Bull was clearly beginning to make huge features.

“There wasn’t very a lot of a degree to place all our assets in attempting to take the third or the second place if all the things was going tremendous properly within the constructors’ at the price of subsequent 12 months, whichever value it might be. It is by no means one thing you wish to do.

“I’d have a lot most well-liked pushing the event the entire 12 months to try to clinch that world title 100%. However in case you are within the place that we have been in originally of the 12 months, I feel it was sort of a no brainer so I do not remorse it.”

Whereas the outcomes do not essentially replicate the efficiency of the motive force, who has been hindered by tough equipment, Leclerc continues to be joyful along with his personal efficiency after a handful of podiums this 12 months.

“Personally, I am fairly happy. I feel it has been a robust season on my facet. You all the time attempt to enhance from one season to the opposite. And that is what I’ve tried to do that 12 months. And I am happy with the work. Then, sadly, the performances usually are not the place they need to be.

“And I am not as happy concerning the end result facet of issues and the efficiency we have proven, particularly after final 12 months, once we ended up robust. The expectation was one other one. However yeah, we have pushed.

“I feel we reacted properly as a staff from the primary race to the final race, attempting to show that state of affairs round. It wasn’t simple as a result of we did not have that many upgrades as we’re focusing totally on 2026. However yeah, I feel we carried out properly as a staff on observe.

“Then what we’re lacking ultimately is the efficiency on the automobile. And for that, I hope that subsequent 12 months will likely be higher.”

With only one race left, Ferrari has little hope of ending increased than fourth within the constructors’ standings. However in 2026, expectations will likely be excessive.

Photographs from Abu Dhabi GP – Thursday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing