Charles Leclerc explains why it’s ‘worth more’ to drive for Ferrari than F1 rivals Red Bull and McLaren

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Charles Leclerc’s love for the iconic Ferrari F1 team goes deeper than just a driver/team pairing, it’s an ‘obsession’ for the team that gave him an opportunity in F1.

Ferrari announced the extension of Fred Vasseur‘s contract on Thursday morning ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, bringing some much-needed stability to the team’s future heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.

Charles Leclerc stated that he’s ‘really happy’ with Vasseur’s renewal during Thursday’s media duties, noting the ‘big difference’ he makes whilst leading the team.

Despite having struggles with the SF-25 this year, Leclerc has been the more effective driver for Ferrari than his new teammate, Lewis Hamilton. The 27-year-old has scored four podiums in the last six Grand Prix, something Hamilton is yet to achieve in Ferrari colours.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Winning for Ferrari in F1 is Charles Leclerc’s ‘only obsession’

Speaking with Sky Sport IT ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Leclerc was asked to share his thoughts on the likely outcome that a McLaren driver will win the drivers’ championship this season. The Monegasque replied, “I drive for Ferrari, and that means a lot, it’s a great deal for me.

“It’s always been about the team, the squad, Ferrari as a whole. I’ve always said it’s an honour to be part of this team, and my number one goal right now is to make Ferrari win. I owe a lot to Ferrari: they believed in me, they brought me into Formula 1, and then into the Ferrari team.

“Now it’s our turn to bring success back. I’m not indifferent to Max’s victories, or to Oscar’s and Lando’s now, but what matters to me is bringing Ferrari to the top.

“Fred’s renewal is a step in that direction, and I’ll do everything together with him, Lewis, and everyone at Ferrari, to win again. That’s my only obsession.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari ‘aren’t satisfied’ with their current standing in F1

McLaren emerged as the favourites for the 2025 title at the season-opener in Australia. As the rest of the grid have been playing catch-up ever since, Leclerc noted that he has seen a step in the right direction at Ferrari, but he isn’t satisfied just yet.

“Improvements are coming little by little,” Leclerc continued. “We’ve made steps in the right direction, we’re certainly not satisfied with the situation we’re in now, but we’re still happy with the progress we’ve made.

“The start of the season was accompanied by a lot of anticipation, and I think that’s altering the perception of our team a bit. Because, I repeat, we’re not where we want to be because Ferrari can only win. And we’re very clear about that.

“On the other hand, McLaren has made a tremendous step forward this year, and unfortunately, we’ve made the same step as the other two teams, and in fact, we’re battling with Mercedes and Red Bull for second place in the championship. So there’s still a long way to go, but the progress is encouraging.”

The rear suspension upgrade that Ferrari brought to the Belgian Grand Prix is one example of Ferrari’s step forward. Leclerc was able to benefit from the extra stability in the rear of the car to fend off Max Verstappen for the majority of the race.