If at first you don’t succeed, attempt, attempt, attempt once more.
It’s a saying that maybe aptly describes ’s pursuit of the holy grail: a maiden world drivers’ championship title.
Season by season the Ferrari driver has steadily chipped away, inching nearer and nearer to fulfilling his childhood dream however by no means fairly getting over the road.
Second in 2022 and third final season, the laser-focused Monégasque now has his sights firmly set on changing into the game’s high canine by successful the Italian outfit’s first world championship since 2007.
“My goal is to change into a world champion,” he tells .
“Clearly, final yr, we completed second within the Constructors (Championship) and I need to win (it). However I need to win the world championship. That is my solely dream and the one factor I’m working for.”
F1’s high canine
The competitors, although, to succeed in the summit in 2025 might be as robust however probably extra open as the game prepares to embark on one other whirlwind 24-race season, starting in Melbourne on March 16.
Pink Bull’s might be trying to proceed his domination with a fifth successive championship title, however his crown feels extra underneath risk than it has in current seasons.
Whereas McLaren’s is extensively tipped to pose the largest risk to the Dutchman, ably supported by his Australian counterpart Oscar Piastri, Leclerc may show to be a harmful challenger.
And the 27-year-old is all too conscious that to beat the very best, you should be the very best.
“I’m simply specializing in myself, to be the higher model of myself every time I get on the observe,” says the Prancing Horse driver. “I’ve targeted on my bodily preparation, on my psychological preparation, and, in fact, on the simulator work.
“(I’m) attempting to be as prepared as doable (for when) we’ll be on observe once more subsequent week in Bahrain (for preseason testing).”
‘My finest season in Components One’
Though he completed a distant third within the 2024 driver standings, it was a yr consisting of three race wins for Leclerc – the joint most in a single season in his Components One profession.
Probably the most memorable of these victories got here at his dwelling Grand Prix within the principality of Monaco.
After beginning the race in pole place in two earlier editions, it proved to be third time fortunate for the Monégasque, and the consequence was given added, emotional weight with the native hero dedicating the win to his father, Hervé, who handed away in 2017 whereas Leclerc was on his technique to the Components Two title.
A rising maturity and confidence alongside strategic classes from seasons passed by have prompted indicators of optimism to gas a title problem.
“I used to be disillusioned in the truth that have been some races the place we weren’t on the degree I needed us to be (in 2023),” he explains. “I used to be attempting to do the miracle, and by doing that, you push the boundaries an excessive amount of and also you do huge errors that price a number of factors on the finish of the season.
“In 2024, I put myself the goal of, sure, every time it’s doable to win, you’ve obtained to do it, however, every time it’s not, you’ve obtained to simply accept the state of affairs and simply convey factors dwelling.
“I’m very pleased with my 2024 season and I feel it’s my finest season in Components One,” he says.
Formidable partnership
And if the already “extraordinarily motivated” Leclerc wanted any additional impetus to grab his second then he may have the prowess to lean on a seven-time world champion driving alongside him this season within the form of Lewis Hamilton.
On paper, it represents a formidable partnership with two drivers every individually boasting luggage of racing pedigree and collectively in search of success for a crew starved of a constructors’ championship title since 2008.
Whereas Hamilton harbors his personal ambitions of securing a record-breaking eighth drivers’ championship title, Leclerc admits that having the 40-year-old be a part of the Maranello-based crew is each a “historic second” and alternative to faucet into a long time of expertise to additional improve his private dream.
“Lewis goes to convey a lot to the crew,” says an enthused Leclerc to CNN. “His expertise, his manner of his work, ethics, his abilities, clearly – I’ve obtained lots to be taught from Lewis.
“This may solely be useful for me and it’s going to be so optimistic for the crew. It’s additionally an enormous motivation for me to indicate what I’m able to and I’m actually wanting ahead to it.”
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