Charles Leclerc has asserted he has full faith in the future of the Ferrari team despite its lacklustre results this year.
The Italian squad entered the campaign hoping to mount a title challenge, having narrowly missed out on the constructors' title last year.
However, it is yet to seal a race win after 19 rounds, having slipped back in the pecking order this season.
It led to suggestions that team principal Fred Vasseur's position in the team could be in danger despite penning a multi-year extension earlier in the campaign - however Ferrari put the speculation to rest with a statement of support last weekend.
When asked why he is still convinced he can win a title at Ferrari, Leclerc told media including RacingNews365: “Because I know the people and obviously we are pushing massively in trying to improve our processes and in the way we work.
“There are also new people coming to the team with different mindsets and also different ways of working, and that is giving me a lot of optimism for the future.”
With a new regulation change coming into play next year, Ferrari opted to switch its focus early on developing the 2026 car.
Leclerc is hopeful the decision will result in a surge up the pecking order for the Italian squad and finally provide him with a chance to fight for the title.
“Obviously next year is going to be a very important turning point, and we’ll see,” he said.
“But I’m optimistic because I know the team, I know the people, and I know that we are working in the right direction.
“Even though some of our competitors came with upgrades recently, and it might look like that we have lost a little bit of performance compared to them, but that’s kind of expected when we don’t have upgrades, when the others do.
“But that’s a choice, and I hope, a choice that will pay off in speaking about the beginning of next year.”
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