Charles Leclerc has denied he is considering leaving Ferrari, admitting “surprise” that it has been claimed that he has doubts about the team’s prospects in Formula 1.
Ferrari has come into this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix denouncing reports that boss Fred Vasseur could be replaced amid the team’s uninspiring opening to 2025.
The speculation regarding Vasseur’s position at the helm coincided with a claim that Leclerc is now open to an exit due to his reputed concern over Ferrari’s direction.
An Italian publication alleged that the Monegasque is unconvinced about whether the Italian marque can provide him with a title-challenging car under the 2026 rules.
However, Leclerc has repudiated that he is contemplating a move elsewhere, as he reiterated his desire to bring an end to Ferrari’s barren run without a championship.
“I’m very surprised,” Leclerc told media including Motorsport Week. “I mean, I have no idea from where it’s coming from. So, yeah, I’d rather just ignore it.
“I’ve never said anything of this in the last few races. If anything, I keep saying how much I love the team and how much I want to bring back Ferrari to the top. So I was surprised.”
Leclerc concurred with team-mate Lewis Hamilton that Ferrari would be wrong to oust Vasseur, whom he worked under during his debut F1 season at Sauber in 2018.
“Well, we surely have a vision that we share as [a] three. You know, Fred, Lewis and myself, in order to try and get back to winning,” he explained.
“And we’ve been working to put that all together. And so, yeah, this is for sure our plan. And I think we should stick to it.”
Leclerc accustomed to Ferrari speculation
Leclerc, who has a long-term deal with Ferrari, highlighted that he has become accustomed to unsubstantiated rumours circulating about the Maranello-based squad.
“The pressure, we are already putting ourselves under a lot of pressure,” he highlighted. “Then, of course, there are some talks that it’s not something that you want to hear.
“But the pressure is normal to have it. When you are working for Ferrari, second is never good enough. But we are all aware of it.
“So it’s not like the outside pressure is having any influence on the pressure that we put ourselves first. We want to be winning. And as I keep saying, it’s not good enough.
“But I’m not the only one to say that all the team knows that it’s not good enough and that Ferrari should be winning.
“And that’s what we are putting all our thoughts into, is to try and bring Ferrari back to the top. At the moment, McLaren is a stronger team and it’s up to us to react.
“But yeah, we definitely need to forget everything about what is said around the team. But I think that’s something I got used to with the years.
“Obviously, there are times where you’ve got more rumours to deal with, and mostly with you, because the questions are obviously directed into certain topics and it’s not always a nice thing to do. But I understand it.
“And at the end of the day, that’s how Ferrari is and has always been. So you’ve got to deal with it. But I don’t think we are affected by it.”
READ MORE – Charles Leclerc casts firm stance over Ferrari F1 exit suggestion
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