Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari has reaffirmed his commitment to the team, describing Ferrari as “family” despite the ongoing wait to return the Italian outfit to championship-winning form since his arrival in 2019.
The Monegasque driver has secured eight grand prix victories with Ferrari but has yet to deliver a world title for the Maranello-based team, which last won the constructors’ championship in 2008 and the drivers’ title in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen.
Leclerc’s connection to Ferrari dates back to his early career, having joined the team’s junior academy roughly a decade ago. He progressed through the single-seater ladder by winning the GP3 and Formula 2 championships before making his Formula 1 debut with Sauber in 2018, ultimately securing his move to Ferrari the following season.
When asked about comments previously made by Sebastian Vettel suggesting that everyone is a Ferrari fan, Leclerc reiterated the depth of his personal and professional bond with the team.
“Ferrari is family and a team that I’ve always loved and dreamed of driving for since I was a kid, and this hasn’t changed one bit since I joined the team in 2019,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365.
“The passion is still there. Then, of course, the will to win—we want to win, and I want to win. We’ve been working for many years to try to come back to the top.”
Ferrari has shown competitive flashes in recent seasons, with Leclerc emerging as a title contender in 2022 and the team coming close to the constructors’ championship in subsequent campaigns. However, it has not yet converted that potential into a sustained title-winning challenge.
The prolonged drought has inevitably placed pressure on both driver and team, fueling speculation about Leclerc’s long-term future, despite a contract understood to run until 2029. Nonetheless, early indicators from the SF-26 suggest Ferrari currently holds one of the strongest packages on the grid in the opening phase of the 2026 season.
Leclerc acknowledged that while progress has been made, the team is still not at the level required to consistently challenge for victories and championships.
“It’s been a good step forward this year; we are just not yet where we want to be, and we’ll keep pushing in that direction,” he explained.
“I hope our time will come soon because it’s been a long time since I started, and time has passed. I’m doing my best, and I hope our time will come this year or as soon as possible.”
As the 2026 season develops, Ferrari faces a critical window to translate incremental performance gains into tangible results. With Leclerc maintaining both loyalty and competitive intent, the team’s ability to close the remaining gap will be decisive in determining whether it can finally end its prolonged title drought.
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