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After seven seasons in System 1, Charles Leclerc mentioned he was lastly able to win the drivers’ title subsequent yr. However he faces a brand new problem posed by Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time champion.
After 12 years and 6 titles with Mercedes, Hamilton replaces Carlos Sainz as teammate to Leclerc. In an interview in November, Leclerc mentioned Hamilton “will deliver a variety of motivation” to Ferrari.
“While you’ve a seven-time world champion becoming a member of the staff, and that is the largest transfer of the final many, a few years, that provides a lift to the staff,” he mentioned.
“Everyone’s pleased with being a part of that story. All of us wish to make that story as profitable as potential, together with me. I wish to add my bit to it, having the dream in my thoughts of being a System 1 world champion.”
Leclerc, 27, mentioned he was enthusiastic about Hamilton’s arrival for 2 causes.
“On one hand, I’m going to study from among the finest,” he mentioned, “and on the opposite, it’s an excellent alternative for me to point out what I can do towards such an unimaginable driver.”
A title problem light in 2022 after a powerful begin. Leclerc mentioned he had matured over the previous three years. He goes into subsequent season in good kind. For the reason that summer time break, he has scored extra factors than every other driver.
“I’ve improved in that I settle for extra when a weekend shouldn’t be going precisely the way in which I would like,” he mentioned. “Previously, if that occurred, if the automobile was not precisely the way in which I needed, I’d attempt to discover one thing inside it that was not there, and that will push me into making errors.
“I additionally really feel like I’ve maximized the factors much more all through the season. That doesn’t imply I’ll by no means cross that line once more. It’s all the time a recreation of making an attempt to get as shut as potential to the restrict with out ever stepping over.”
Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari staff principal, mentioned Leclerc “all the time works onerous,” and though he “has made errors, that’s a part of his development course of.”
“If I evaluate to final yr, we had been fast, which was additionally the attribute of the automobile,” Vasseur mentioned. “We had been most likely faster in qualifying, and we struggled extra within the race. If I see a distinction, he’s in a position to handle the race extra once we want it.”
When it comes to factors scored, that is Leclerc’s greatest season in System 1. He has gained three Grands Prix and been on the rostrum one other 9 occasions. He mentioned he and the staff, second within the constructors’ championship to McLaren, couldn’t have achieved extra.
“It’s not been fairly often the place I look again and I’ve felt there have been few missed alternatives, so it’s been a constructive season,” Leclerc mentioned.
“On the finish of the day, we’ve simply missed efficiency, particularly in the beginning of the season, to be preventing for higher issues. However by way of maximizing what we had, we did a extremely good job.”
He credit Vasseur for reworking the staff following his appointment in January final yr. On the finish of his sixth season with Ferrari, Leclerc mentioned “the mentality inside the staff and the way in which we work is so significantly better. We’re a way more strong staff.”
“The place Fred is extraordinarily good is in taking a step again in no matter state of affairs we discover ourselves,” Leclerc mentioned. “That’s very tough as a result of it’s a sport, and all of us care quite a bit about what we do, and all of us actually wish to do effectively.
“We’re affected whether or not issues go good or unhealthy, however Fred is emotionally very flat. That’s an enormous high quality to run Ferrari as a result of the staff is the alternative, largely as a result of there may be a lot ardour inside it.”
After ending second within the drivers’ championship in 2022 behind Max Verstappen of Pink Bull, Leclerc, who’s third this yr, mentioned he was “prepared for the championship” in 2025.
“We simply want a automobile that, all through the season, is able to doing that,” he mentioned. “However I’m totally assured the subsequent staff to have the ability to beat Pink Bull, particularly for the championship, will likely be us.”
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