Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Monaco, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Superstars

Ferrari F1 star CERTAIN Red Bull championship battle is on

Charles Leclerc thinks Ferrari have what it takes to beat Red Bull

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 10 June 2024 03:00

Charles Leclerc believes his Ferrari outfit are in a championship battle with the dominant Red Bull team.

Ferrari have claimed 31 championships in the sport, making them the single most successful team in Formula 1 history.

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However, the Maranello team have not won a drivers' or constructors' title since 2008, when they took home the constructors' title in a season where star driver Felipe Massa narrowly missed out on drivers' championship glory to Lewis Hamilton.

Since then, Ferrari have only managed 36 grand prix victories as a team, 23 less than Max Verstappen despite the Dutchman only starting his F1 career in 2015.

Ferrari have enjoyed a good start to the season

Fred Vasseur took over at Ferrari in 2023

Ferrari eye championship success

In 2024, the team have managed to claim two victories in the first nine races of the season and, led by Fred Vasseur, Ferrari seem to be assembling a strong team capable of challenging for championships once more.

Hamilton will certainly hope so, with the seven-time champion one of the impressive signings made by Ferrari in the last few months.

Leclerc has suggested that since Vasseur took over as team principal at the start of 2023, there has been one very clear target in mind.

“I have no doubts,” Leclerc told media of Vasseur before the Canadian GP. “I think since the first day he joined he’s got everything to bring the team back to where it belongs and that means to a world championship.

"He’s got such a clear vision of what he wants to achieve and how to achieve it. He doesn’t lose time and that is definitely his strength and I think his vision is really good.

“We share it very often, on how he wants to achieve those targets. I’ve always been completely aligned with the way he wants to change things to get to where we want to get. I have no doubt that he’s the right person and that he’s helping the team to get there.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Charles Leclerc Hamilton