Leclerc exposes ‘vulnerable’ Ferrari concern after seismic step

Charles Leclerc has insisted Ferrari has rid itself of being “vulnerable” to noise surrounding the team.

The Italian squad has taken a strong step forward this year and is in contention for the constructors' championship, which is currently led by McLaren.

Ferrari has endured a period of hardship across the last several seasons - however its five wins this year is the most it has achieved since the 2018 campaign.

Leclerc conceded Ferrari had been impacted emotionally by noise being made about the squad in the past.

“I think if we compare this one to the previous years, we've done a good job in maximising the points and minimising the loss in races where we have struggled as a team,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. 

“And that's a really positive thing, which I think in the past wasn't necessarily the case. 

“I think, as a team, we were a lot more vulnerable to what was happening around the team and it was making us going a bit up and down, emotionally speaking, and now we are a lot more solid.”

However, Leclerc insisted Ferrari is not getting complacent with the step forward it has made as it targets further gains for 2025.

“That doesn't mean that it's good enough yet because obviously, as a matter of fact, we've lost the drivers' championship,” he said. 

“We are a more solid team and we are going in the right direction. 

“So I think it's been a positive season and we are going into the right direction.”