Leclerc: I'm ready to be Formula 1 World Champion

Leclerc driver is determined to take the fight to Hamilton and believes Ferrari can deliver the car required to dethrone Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Furthermore, the Monegasque knows that his first order of business is to beat his illustrious new teammate. Much like he did to Sebastian Vettel not so long ago.

Speaking in an interview with Racing365, the Monegasque driver, now entering his sixth season with the Scuderia, expressed confidence in his development as a driver and the team’s prospects: "I'm ready to be Formula 1 World Champion. We just need a car that, over the course of the season, is capable of doing that. I'm confident that we're the next team that can do that and beat Red Bull for the championship."

Leclerc, 27, faces a formidable internal challenge this season, as he partners with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The 40-year-old Briton brings unmatched experience and a burning desire to add an eighth F1 title to his legacy, making him a significant rival within Ferrari.

Hamilton’s arrival comes after a challenging final year with Mercedes, where he finished a career-worst P7 in the standings. In contrast, Leclerc ended the 2024 campaign in P3, trailing only Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

For Leclerc, the first step towards an F1 championship title lies in outperforming his teammate, and he remains steadfast in his belief that Ferrari’s resurgence positions them as Red Bull’s primary challenger.

Reflecting on his own growth as a driver, Leclerc highlighted the lessons he has learned from past mistakes and his improved approach to maximising results: "I have improved in the way that I accept more when a weekend doesn't go exactly as I want it to.

"In the past, when it didn't go as I wanted, when the car wasn't as I wanted, I would try to find something in the car that wasn't there, and that would make me make mistakes. That also made it sometimes days when I did something that was hardly possible, but I felt like it was more of a burden than a reward," he revealed.

"In that respect, I improved a lot. I felt like I was maximising a lot more points over the course of the season, but that doesn't mean I'll never cross that line again. It's always about trying to get as close to the limit as possible without ever going over it, but I feel like I've made a step forward in that area, yes," ventured Leclerc

Ferrari enters the 2025 season with renewed momentum after finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship. The Italian team, which last claimed a title in 2008, is under pressure to deliver a car capable of matching Red Bull’s dominance.

For Leclerc, the upcoming season represents a pivotal moment in his career, as he balances the dual challenge of competing against Hamilton while striving to end Ferrari’s championship drought.

With both drivers hungry for success, Ferrari’s internal battle could prove as captivating as their fight against Red Bull, Mclaren and the Rest, setting the stage for one of the most intriguing F1 seasons in recent memory.