Max Verstappen has certainly made his mark on the 2021 Formula 1 season, having managed to take the title away from the long-time champion Lewis Hamilton. At 25 years old, he is on track to win his third consecutive world championship and is well on his way to breaking a number of records set by other past champions.
Many Formula 1 drivers would no doubt do anything to be in his place, though Charles Leclerc is not one of them. The Ferrari driver firmly believes that he can dethrone Verstappen with his Italian team.
Charles Leclerc talks about replacing Max Verstappen
Ferrari had good hopes for the Dutch Grand Prix. But Friday’s practice sessions have taken away the team’s chances of competing with the title contenders. But, despite the setback, Leclerc has kept his commitment to Ferrari and has not considered offers from other teams.
According to a fan page on Twitter, the Monegasque said, “I would never swap with him, in the sense that being a Ferrari driver has always been my dream, and becoming world champion with Ferrari is my goal,”
He further added “I know that right now I don’t have the car to fight with Max, but I have no doubts that my path is right. I’ll look at my career when I stop, but I have no regrets or remorse, I’m happy at Ferrari.”
🎙️| Charles Leclerc on whether he would want to be in Max Verstappen’s position:
“I would never swap with him, in the sense that being a Ferrari driver has always been my dream, and becoming world champion with Ferrari is my goal.”
“I know that right now I don't have the car to… pic.twitter.com/978RwoLCJx
— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) August 26, 2023
It has been 16 years since Ferrari last won a Formula 1 world championship title, and it is likely that the wait will continue until 2025. Whether Ferrari’s fortunes will take a turn for the better beyond 2025, enabling Charles Leclerc to secure the title with his favorite team, remains to be seen.
Charles Leclerc discloses his main goal with Ferrari
Leclerc is keen to focus on making the most of the second half of the 2023 season. He currently sits in fifth position with 99 points. There is a jump of 49 points ahead of him to Lewis Hamilton in fourth, while George Russell is behind him in sixth position with the same 99 points.
Considering the current circumstances, Ferrari has acknowledged they must reset their expectations for the rest of 2023 due to a lackluster first half of the season.
Ferrari entered the 2022 season with the confidence of challenging Red Bull and Max Verstappen for both the Team and Driver titles. However, a series of underwhelming performances have caused them to fall behind Mercedes and Aston Martin to fourth in the standings heading into the summer break, after 12 of the 22 races on the calendar.
Talking about the revised goal, he said, “There is no doubt that everyone’s goal is to return to the top and to compete with Red Bull,” he continued. “Realistically, we will not achieve that this year.
“The most realistic goal is to finish ahead of McLaren, Aston Martin and Mercedes in the standings,”
What do you think about this revised goal? Do you think they will achieve it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
