Charles Leclerc has claimed that Ferrari has had a “good season” in Formula 1 in 2025, despite accepting the team’s results have not been “good enough” in isolation.
Ferrari could be poised to register the team’s lowest placing in the Constructors’ Championship since 2020 as it resides fourth in the standings with three races to go.
The Italian marque held title ambitions heading into the season, having added seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to a side that fought McLaren to the end in 2024.
But while McLaren retained the Constructors’ crown with six races to spare and is on course to claim a championship double, Ferrari is staring at a winless campaign.
With the Maranello-based squad’s prolonged championship drought since 2008 guaranteed to continue, Leclerc has conceded that Ferrari has come up short in 2025.
“It’s not good enough,” Leclerc told media including Motorsport Week.
“I think when you drive for such a team, the only thing that is good enough is to win.
“But it’s also true to say that we are against very, very strong competition, and also teams that have a lot of history in the sport and that are very special in their own way.
“So, it’s not easy, but I think, as Ferrari, when you work for such an incredible brand, it’s not good enough, and you’ve got to target for winning.”
Leclerc heralds Ferrari recovery in 2025
However, Leclerc, who has taken all seven podiums that Ferrari has achieved this season, believes the team’s response to a wretched start should not be disregarded.
“Having said all that, considering where we started the season and where we are now, it’s a good season,” the Monegasque countered.
“It’s a very good improvement throughout the season, as it’s been very difficult at the beginning of the year to understand exactly in which way what did we have to tackle with this new car.
“To now be fighting still for the second constructor should be our target and, for next year, we will target higher for sure.”
Ferrari goes into this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix a mere four points behind Red Bull, but Mercedes another 32 points ahead in the battle to come second overall.
Asked whether he would choose a race win or being runners-up in the Constructors’ Championship, Leclerc responded: “I don’t know. I mean, I’ll take both.
“I think if you win, then it’s obviously more likely that you get the second in the Constructors’. So, yeah, very difficult questions to answer.
“I would love to win. I think it’s really important to at least be winning once in a season where everything has been so tough for everybody.
“The [Constructors’] second place is not what’s going to…we will probably be happier as a team after a victory, but the second place needs to be our target, and we need to target both of the two things. So yeah, I won’t choose between the two.”
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