The Canadian Grand Prix should function a type of affirmation for Ferrari. The Maranello workforce is coming off two consecutive podiums, achieved due to the same old expertise of Charles Leclerc and likewise a little bit of luck because of the Security Automobile on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. The Monegasque driver has by no means had an amazing relationship with Woman Luck, objectively talking, so it’s honest sufficient that he sometimes advantages from some surprising assist.
In Montreal, the place the paddock is already buzzing for the race weekend, there are a number of very fascinating matters circulating. Virtually all of them, in actual fact, concern the Italian workforce, notably the temper of the 2 drivers and the way forward for Frederic Vasseur, the workforce principal whose contract expires on the finish of this season. In current days, numerous kind of dependable rumors have advised that he’ll depart Maranello on the finish of the 2025 System 1 championship.
Admittedly, the present season has not been a hit to this point: over the winter, partly due to the arrival of Lewis Hamilton, there was discuss of world titles, of an SF-25 single-seater able to combating McLaren for the championship. Then, on the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, as sadly has typically been the case for practically twenty years, got here the icy chilly bathe for the Ferrari followers and everybody at Maranello.
Charles Leclerc’s final two performances have sparked a glimmer of hope: the SF-25, in line with the constructors’ standings, has total been the second-best automobile in F1 after the primary 9 races. And if the numbers don’t lie, we should additionally say that the factors hole to McLaren, the undisputed chief, is 197. An unlimited and certain insurmountable distance, as a result of we’re not right here to feed anybody false hopes — others care for that with the same old recycled proclamations.
Returning to the extra urgent issues, Ferrari is in a tough second: this isn’t information, however it appeared that the Frederic Vasseur strategy was working — till actuality struck once more on this first a part of the 2025 System 1 marketing campaign. Nevertheless, in contrast to what we noticed on the finish of Mattia Binotto’s tenure in 2022, the sensation now could be that the assorted members of the workforce are attempting to rally round their workforce principal.
However it’s not solely Frederic Vasseur who’s on the heart of paddock rumors: some stories counsel that Charles Leclerc himself is uninterested in not profitable something with Ferrari, and his unconditional love — which has objectively by no means been in query — appears to be wavering. That might be comprehensible, since a driver of his expertise retains having to swallow bitter capsules, having had, in virtually seven years, solely a handful of Grands Prix with a automobile worthy of F1.
Charles Leclerc doesn’t need to hear any of it, and when requested concerning the matter, as extensively anticipated, he reiterated the factors expressed earlier. The Monegasque made it clear that he wouldn’t touch upon rumors or hypothesis relating to gives or comparable issues. He emphasised that the one certainty was his love for Ferrari and acknowledged that, no matter what the long run may maintain, his purpose remained to win with the workforce in pink. The 27-year-old expressed his want to convey Ferrari again to the highest and affirmed that he would give all the pieces he needed to make it occur with himself behind the wheel.
This concern is inevitably linked to the Frederic Vasseur state of affairs. Right here too, the Monegasque speaks as a workforce participant, as a frontrunner, and firmly dismisses the current rumors, particularly since there’s an vital weekend to arrange for — one which should verify the “good” issues seen just lately.
Charles Leclerc famous that there have been rumors about Frederic Vasseur which the workforce consciously selected to disregard. He confused that their focus wanted to stay on what actually mattered: efficiency on the monitor. Based on him, solely outcomes might silence sure rumors within the quick time period. The Monegasque driver added that he had nothing additional to say, reiterating his full confidence within the workforce and highlighting that the French supervisor had at all times believed in him, simply as he believed in Fred Vasseur. Charles Leclerc concluded by stating that the Ferrari workforce boss had all the pieces wanted to convey the Italian facet again to the highest, and expressed hope that they may obtain that purpose collectively.