“Lewis is not my target” unless Ferrari starts...

Charles Leclerc says the prospect of an intra-team battle with Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton is just not of quick concern, notably as they’re “not preventing for very attention-grabbing positions” in Formulation 1 2025.

Though Ferrari has confirmed itself able to securing occasional podiums up to now this 12 months, these have been irregular at greatest; Leclerc has 4 podiums throughout the opening 12 rounds, whereas Hamilton is but to attain a top-three end in grand prix trim this season. 

Each Ferrari drivers spoke forward of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix on their willingness to supply the workforce suggestions on the place they really feel it wants to enhance to be in title competition, with Hamilton stating that Ferrari is “not firing on all cylinders”. 

As such, driving the Maranello outfit ahead is the main target. Leclerc says that this very a lot has priority in his thoughts for the remainder of 2025 somewhat than beating Hamilton. 

The Monegasque said that battling along with his team-mate over the lesser factors placings is of little curiosity to him, and that Hamilton is just not at the moment his “goal”. 

“It is one thing that basically is within the background for now,” mentioned Leclerc. “You are all the time taking a look at it in a method or one other, however to be trustworthy, if you end up preventing for fourth, fifth, sixth, it is probably not one thing that pursuits me that a lot.

“Then, in fact, once we begin to combat for wins, then you definitely take a look at these issues lots nearer. 

“However it’s probably not been a part of my… I used to be simply right here to attempt to be taught as a lot as doable from Lewis of what I may be taught, what may benefit me as a driver, after which deal with myself with the goal of doing the absolute best job, which implies beating Lewis, however not solely. 

“I feel the primary goal of the workforce and my predominant goal in the meanwhile is to deliver Ferrari again to the highest. And, yeah, Lewis is just not my goal in the meanwhile as a result of we’re not preventing for very attention-grabbing positions.”

Ferrari has arrived in Belgium with a brand new rear suspension package deal, one which it examined on a filming day at Mugello final week. This ensured that any working was solely cursory given the gap restrictions on any filming day checks.

Leclerc said that there was no actual distinction in behaviour from what he may inform in his preliminary run, however was eager to maintain a lid on any additional particulars in regards to the new geometry.

“We didn’t [feel a difference in behaviour] and I am not going to remark the precise behaviours of this suspension,” mentioned Leclerc.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos by way of Getty Photos

“Clearly, these are issues that stay for us and it could be fairly silly for us to remark it globally on what does what. However we’ll discover out tomorrow on monitor.

“I do not assume [it will change how we set up the car]. I can discover the boldness if I arrange the automobile another way. So, if I want confidence, I will go for that. 

“However for now, I desire to go for efficiency somewhat than confidence. It does not all the time repay and I feel we have seen it final race weekend in Silverstone, the place clearly I had my struggles, which have been fairly large on the moist. 

“And I do know that that is the chance of working such an excessive set-up. I do not assume this can enhance with that as a result of we nonetheless must arrange the automobile in a comparatively related place so as to extract the utmost out of it. However I am joyful to comply with that path.”