Since his arrival at Ferrari in 2019, Charles Leclerc has not been able to compete for a title in Formula 1 over the course of an entire season, but with his speed and determination, he may be the driver capable of ending the Scuderia’s title drought.
Ferrari is going through a difficult moment in its history, without winning the Drivers’ Championship since 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen secured the title. The Italian team, which is the most successful in the history of Formula 1, has not won the championship for eighteen years, which represents a great frustration for its fans and for the entire team in Maranello.
Leclerc, however, since his first season with Ferrari, has shown enormous potential. He won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, his first victory with the team, in an impressive performance against the Mercedes drivers. This was his second consecutive win, after also winning the Belgian Grand Prix.
In terms of qualifying sessions, Leclerc continues to impress. In 2025, he outperformed his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, nineteen to five in the number of poles. His performance in qualifying sessions was notable, including a pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix and a second place on the starting grid at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he also finished on the podium. His ability to extract the maximum from the car was evident throughout the season, especially in the last three races, when he advanced to Q3, while Hamilton failed to get out of the first elimination phase.
Leclerc has also demonstrated great competence in side-by-side battles. In 2019, his victory at the Monza Grand Prix, where he led the race from pole and withstood the pressure from Hamilton, was a milestone of his ability in intense combat situations. More recently, he made a bold move by overtaking George Russell at the Dutch Grand Prix, using the outside and, even with two wheels on the gravel, taking the position in an audacious manner.
Despite all his talent, Leclerc has not yet had a car capable of competing for the title in Formula 1 in a consistent manner. In 2022, he had a chance at the beginning of the season, but Ferrari failed to maintain the pace, especially in the second half of the year, when the team did not win any of the last eleven races. Even so, Leclerc demonstrated impressive raw speed, outperforming teammates like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton in terms of accumulated points.
With the expectation now turned to the new 2026 regulations, which may offer Leclerc a competitive enough car to fight for the title. However, the competition will be intense, with several teams seeking to establish themselves at the top of the table. Leclerc will, without a doubt, be Ferrari’s main bet to return the team to the path of championships.
