Leclerc more often than ever in Maranello: "I feel responsible“

Charles Leclerc still feels good at Ferrari despite the disappointing performance. In an interview with Formula 1 he talks about his role in the Italian team, with Sebastian Vettel set to leave at the end of the season. He also looks back on the Belgian Grand Prix 2019, the weekend in which he lost a good friend and won his first Formula 1 victory.

For the 23-year-old driver, little has changed in terms of his role within Ferrari, even though many now see him as the number one driver on the team. What's more, he doesn't want to miss out on his team mate Sebastian Vettel. "He has achieved so much more in the sport than I have. He is still a four-time world champion. It doesn't feel like I have been given much more responsibility within the team now, but I also know that I am the one on the team with a long-term contract and that I have to help the team build a good future. So I do feel responsible for the development of the team."

Ferrari has a rich past in motor racing. Leclerc is asked if that will bring any extra pressure. "Above all, it gives a lot of motivation. Driving for Ferrari has always been a dream for me, so it feels really good to be able to drive for the team now. And especially now that the team is struggling, I am extra motivated to bring Ferrari back to the top. This is the first time in my career that I have been on a team for such a long time." To help Ferrari get back to the top, the Monegask is at the Maranello factory more often than ever. "We're trying to find out where things are going wrong at the moment and how we can improve the car."

Antoine Hubert

Leclerc also looks back on his first Formula 1 victory at Spa-Francorchamps a year ago now. Due to the death of Antoine Hubert, a weekend with a double feeling and a difficult race for the Ferrari driver. "I lost a good friend on the track where I had to race myself a day later. I had never experienced that before. Lap after lap you drive past where he died. It was very difficult, but I was also very proud to be able to dedicate the win to him in the end."