Leclerc continues to believe in world title: "Gives me the motivation"

Charles Leclerc started the new season promisingly, but then failed to live up to expectations. Nevertheless, the Monegasque looks back on an excellent first half of the season, he stressed in conversation with the BBC.

At the start of the year, Leclerc won two of the first three Grands Prix. This seemed to make him a serious rival to Max Verstappen, but the Dutchman then put things right and took a considerable distance in the world championship.

With an 80-point lead, the reigning world champion looks set to claim another world title, but Leclerc says he is not giving up yet. The driver knows that a lot can happen in Formula 1 and has faith in his own team.

"Until it's mathematically over, then I still want to believe in it. This is what gives me the motivation," Leclerc said. For the time being, the driver is therefore left with a good feeling about the race year. "I really feel like this first part of the season has been my strongest in F1 and I think the way I have worked and the way we have worked as a team has been the best I have ever done in F1."