Leclerc reveals what would 'probably' make him QUIT Ferrari

Sam Cook
Thursday 5 October 2023 22:12

Charles Leclerc has said he would be likely to 'leave' Ferrari if he no longer believes in what the team are trying to achieve.

The Monegasque driver has endured a frustrating season in which his team have regressed after their 2022 performance, and he has produced some inconsistent performances to go with it.

Leclerc has only managed to score three podiums in 2023 so far, and is currently sat 15 points behind his team-mate Carlos Sainz in the drivers' standings, with six races left.

However, all three of those podiums have come during sprint weekends and, with the Qatar Grand Prix being the fourth sprint weekend of the season, he will be hoping to continue that rich vein of form this weekend.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur came into the team at the start of 2023, and Leclerc has been impressed with his ambition to drive the team forward, as they seek to become championship contenders once again.

Leclerc told The Race Portal: “I believe in the Ferrari project more than ever, especially since Vasseur arrived. There is the will to win, I am sure we are working in the right direction.

“When I no longer believe in the project, I will probably leave. Also because in these types of situations you are unable to give your best. But this is not the case."

READ MORE: F1 Team Principals: Who are the men in charge in 2023?

Ferrari battle Mercedes

Despite the team clearly falling further back from the dominant Red Bull team in 2023, there is still a chance for them to repeat their 2022 performance.

They won four races last season, and managed to pip Mercedes to second in the constructors' championship.

Having only won one race this season through Sainz, they have six more races to prove that they have taken a step forward throughout the year, and try and catch Mercedes in second who are currently 20 points ahead of them.

READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Verstappen setup quirk which allows Red Bull to make car even faster