The Monegasque driver is ready for his home GP: “In 2024, an unexpected victory that gives me courage for this year too. Niki Lauda? He was someone who never gave up: he left a huge mark on Formula 1 and Ferrari.”
Charles Leclerc is already in Monza mode. The fan effect he experienced on Wednesday in Milan has energized him. Not that he needed it (“Since I’ve been racing in F1, I’ve only ever had moments of victory with Ferrari, I know how special it is”), but when Monza comes around, every Ferrari driver feels that “anything is possible.” He made this clear yesterday on the eve of the race when he spoke of McLaren as unbeatable cars, only to then get excited at the thought of what could happen: “Last year I experienced an unexpected victory,” he recalled, “and that victory gives you at least the awareness that you can win even when starting from a disadvantageous position on paper. I can’t wait to get the car on the track to see where we stand compared to them.”
Perhaps inspired by Niki Lauda, whom Ferrari will honor this weekend for the first of his three titles, won at Monza on September 7, 1975, exactly 50 years ago. Drivers and team members will dress in blue in memory of the colors worn by Ferrari drivers in 1975, and the two SF-25s will have a special livery reminiscent of the Austrian champion’s Ferrari. Leclerc spoke about it: “I never had the chance to work with Niki or see him race,” he said, “but the quality I admire most about him is the fact that he never gave up. We often say this, but he went through something much more difficult than anything I have experienced in my career. The fact that he put his helmet back on and returned to the track after the accident is impressive. He left a mark of courage that will go down in history. I remember well the first time he came to see me in the paddock in Monaco. He had very kind words for me, and when I spoke to other people afterwards, I realized that he wasn’t like that with everyone. He was very direct and objective, so those words were even more special to me. He left a huge mark, not only in F1 but in sport in general, and particularly at Ferrari. As for blue, I really like red, but blue is beautiful and for an occasion like this, it’s appropriate.”
DIFFICULT COMPARISON— Prospects for the race? Is Ferrari planning any surprises with its strategy? “Maybe the fans can help us! Joking aside, this year’s strategy seems a little clearer than in 2024, so we have one less card to play. We’ll see on Sunday: we’ll try to surprise our opponents. In any case, the goal remains to win. At Monza, it would be even more special, with the fans cheering us on.“ The comparison with McLaren is not easy: ”Realistically, with McLaren so strong, there isn’t a track where I think we’ll be better than them,“ Leclerc continued, ”but there are circuits where we can get close. I’m thinking of Baku in qualifying, one of my favorite tracks, where we can perhaps make a difference. We’ve often struggled there in the race, but Monza has surprised us in the past. Then there’s Singapore and Las Vegas: in Singapore, qualifying counts for a lot, and in Las Vegas, anything can happen.”
IMPOSSIBLE RESULT— Charles has no intention of giving up, even though, since 2019, he has not yet had a Ferrari that has allowed him to regularly fight for victories: “It’s frustrating, of course. I haven’t yet had the chance to have a car capable of consistently fighting for victory, perhaps only at the beginning of 2022. But that doesn’t change my motivation. That frustration turns into a desire to do more. When you manage to achieve a result that seemed impossible on paper, the joy is even greater.” Niki Lauda mode always active.
