Leclerc dishes bold one-word verdict on Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull

The 28-year-old Ferrari driver was tasked with describing Scuderia Ferrari and its rivals – Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull – using just one word during his appearance on the BSMT by Gianluca Gazzoli podcast.

Leclerc had a few choice words to describe the four teams, labelling Ferrari as “passion” before sharing his thoughts on the other outfits.

Reacting as each team’s name was called out, Leclerc responded: “That’s easy, passion.”

The Monegasque then used “speed” to describe McLaren, “precision” for Mercedes, and “ambition” for the Red Bull outfit.

The quartet of teams have proven to be the most competitive at the front of the grid in recent years, with Red Bull and McLaren particularly enjoying title success in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

Mercedes have been without a Drivers’ title since 2020, with their last Constructors’ championship coming in 2021. For Ferrari, their most recent Drivers’ Championship success remains Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 triumph, while their last Constructors’ title came a year later.

Leclerc, however, remains focused on delivering a championship for the Italian outfit, a goal he has openly expressed on multiple occasions.

Earlier, Leclerc expressed the need for Ferrari to improve its power unit following the first three races of the 2026 campaign.

The Monegasque driver highlighted the need for overall improvement across the SF-26 package, including the chassis, but specifically pointed to the power unit as an area where Ferrari must make a significant step to match the pace of the front-running teams.

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