Ferrari arrives in Australia with expectations still to be defined, while Charles Leclerc has been very clear about the Scuderia’s goals for 2025, starting from the Australian GP. McLaren seems to have the edge, but for the Monegasque, that’s not an issue—his objective remains the same: winning the world championship.
Ferrari chasing McLaren in Melbourne
The Australian GP will see Ferrari hunting down McLaren, aiming to secure its first win of the season. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc knows it won’t be easy to get ahead of Norris and Piastri, but he still believes victory in Melbourne—and ultimately, the championship—are within reach.
Leclerc’s ambitions
For Leclerc, this may have been the most relaxed winter break of his career. With Hamilton joining Ferrari, much of the media and fan attention has shifted away from him, allowing Charles to prepare without pressure:
“Being considered an outsider because McLaren is the favorite and all the attention is on Hamilton? Honestly, I don’t care. My job is to analyze everything happening within the team and turn it into technical feedback, understanding what works and what doesn’t. This year, the build-up has been quieter for me since Hamilton is on the other side of the garage, and it’s natural for him to draw a lot of attention, which I see as a positive for our sport. As for me, I’ll stay focused on myself, doing my job as best as I can and trying to start the season on the right foot. I’m excited, highly motivated, and can’t wait to be back in the car tomorrow.”
For the Australian GP, Leclerc sees McLaren as a serious threat but knows he has a chance to fight for the win:
“The 2024 one-two? In Formula 1, every weekend is a new challenge, and a driver must reset constantly. Two-tenths of a second in a 1’30” or 1’40” lap can be the difference between leading or falling behind. In Bahrain, McLaren seemed faster, but this track has different characteristics, so we’ll see if that remains the case. Regardless, our goal is still the world championship, whether we start as the hunters or the hunted. Of course, I hope to be ahead from the start, but if that’s not the case, we’ll simply stay focused and keep working hard—just like we did in 2024, when we made an incredible comeback in the second half of the season. From tomorrow, we’ll see where we really stand.”
