Leclerc issues ‘full trust’ support in Ferrari to make F1 rivals ‘struggle’

Charles Leclerc has shared his motivation for re-signing with Ferrari, but insists he needs to "believe in the project" to get the best out of himself.

The 26-year-old re-upped with the Italian team over the winter, penning on to a deal that will extend his stay with the Scuderia until at least 2029.

The Maranello-based squad started the season well, as the second-best team behind Red Bull, and optimistic for the future, with seven-time drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton joining at the end of the year.

However, despite winning his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari's form has fallen away and now has the fourth-quickest car, slipping behind McLaren and Mercedes.

Whilst results have not been what Leclerc would have wanted, he maintains he can win the drivers' championship with Ferrari.

The six-time grand prix winner also shared that he needs to have faith in the team and its direction to perform at his best.

"Yes, for sure," the Monegasque driver told Tom Clarkson on the Beyond the Grid podcast when asked if he can become a world champion with the team. "Otherwise I wouldn't have signed again. 

"Even if you don't have a title chance, to drive for Ferrari is an incredible honour. But, to get the best out of me, I need to believe in the project I'm in.

"I have full trust that I'm in the right team to make Red Bull and McLaren struggle in the future."

Leclerc aiming to beat Hamilton

Ferrari has not employed a first and second driver approach between Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, and the two have been relatively closely matched over their four years as team-mates.

However, Leclerc has long been considered the heir to Michael Schumacher's throne and it was no surprise the Spanish driver was the one to make way for Hamilton.

To appreciate the weight of expectation, neither Fernando Alonso nor Sebastian Vettel were able to fully replace the man who won five consecutive drivers' crowns with Ferrari.

Not even Kimi Raikkonen, who won the 2008 F1 title, could.

And whilst Leclerc has time on his side, he faces a far greater task, and a significantly more daunting prospect if he is to emulate Schumacher: partnering the man who has equalled and surpassed the great German.

However, Leclerc is relishing the opportunity despite remaining cognisant of the challenge ahead.

"Obviously, for me, it's going to be amazing, because I'll have in the same car as me the most successful driver in F1 history," he explained.

"And that will be both extremely interesting for me to learn from one of the best ever, and a really big challenge, and motivation, to beat Lewis [Hamilton] and to show what I'm capable of."