Charles Leclerc, once hailed as Ferrari’s golden boy, appears to be losing confidence in the Ferrari team as their championship hopes dwindle in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Since joining the Scuderia in 2019, the Monegasque driver’s relationship with Ferrari has faced increasing challenges amid the team’s struggle to keep up with rivals.
Leclerc’s F1 journey began as a Ferrari Academy driver, initially competing with Alfa Romeo (then Sauber) in 2018 before being promoted to Ferrari, where he replaced Kimi Raikkonen. His impact was immediate, with two wins in his debut season for Ferrari—first at the Belgian Grand Prix and then at the Italian Grand Prix—establishing him quickly as the team’s lead driver.
In 2022, Ferrari appeared poised to re-enter the title fight after developing a competitive car, but inconsistent performance and reliability issues allowed Red Bull to dominate the championship, hindering Leclerc’s aspirations. Although he has secured three more victories since then, he has not been in serious contention for the world championship, and Ferrari continues to lag behind key competitors.
As rumors about Leclerc’s waning motivation spread through the paddock, fans debated his future with the team. Some voiced opinions that Leclerc should have sought opportunities elsewhere much earlier.
“Should have started looking elsewhere after 22.”
“They made CHARLES LECLERC lose faith in Ferrari before GTA 6,” one fan wrote.
“He needs to leave Ferrari if he has genuine hopes of winning a world title,” another fan wrote.
Conversely, other supporters defended Leclerc’s loyalty to Ferrari, believing he remains committed to the Maranello outfit despite the setbacks.
“Leclerc is never leaving Ferrari,” one netizen wrote.
“Doubt it, he’s a ride or die with Ferrari,” another netizen wrote.
“Don’t see him leaving Ferrari, would look so strange tbh,” a third netizen shared.
Leclerc’s last victory was at the United States Grand Prix in Austin last year, but since then, Ferrari’s performance relative to rivals has declined further.
Leclerc Recognizes Ferrari’s Struggles Compared to McLaren’s Progress
Ferrari’s last driver win came through Carlos Sainz at the Mexican Grand Prix, but since then, both Ferrari drivers have struggled to reach the podium consistently. The 2025 season has exposed Ferrari’s challenges, compelling Leclerc to accept a harsher reality about his team‘s position in the competitive hierarchy.
After close battles with the McLaren duo last season, Leclerc acknowledges that the Woking-based team has gained the upper hand this year, making it unlikely for Ferrari to catch them easily.
“On paper, it is going to be a tough one to go and beat McLaren in a year like this, where they’ve been dominant for the first part of the season, it will be very tough, but I will give everything until the end… But we cannot afford to lose too many races,” Leclerc said.
Currently placed fifth in the driver standings with 94 points from nine races, Charles Leclerc confronts a difficult road ahead if he wants to revive his title challenge with Ferrari.
The ongoing challenges highlight the fragility of Ferrari’s title ambitions and raise questions about Leclerc’s future with the team. Should the Italian outfit fail to improve, the Monegasque might consider exploring other options to realize his potential as a championship contender.
