Ferrari’s early switch to 2026 a no-brainer: Charles Leclerc
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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc competes during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit.
PHOTO: AFP
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ABU DHABI – Charles Leclerc has acknowledged that Ferrari made the right decision to shift focus to next year early in the 2025 season.
The Monaco driver went so far as to say that it was a “no-brainer”, given that the team were not going to insert themselves into the title picture.
“We were at a technical disadvantage from the first race, so it’s not like it changed massively our approach to the season,” Leclerc said during the final drivers’ press conference of 2025 in Abu Dhabi on Dec 18.
“And we saw it relatively quickly that we wouldn’t be fighting for the world title. Because McLaren was too strong. Red Bull was obviously starting to make big gains. It wasn’t very much of a point to put all our resources into trying to take the third or second place...
“I would have much preferred pushing the development the whole year to try and clinch that world title, 100 per cent. But if you are in the position that we were in at the beginning of the year, I think it was kind of a no-brainer. So, I don’t regret it.”
Leclerc, 28, captured seven podiums and one pole position en route to recording a fifth-place finish in the drivers’ standings. He had 242 points, well behind Lando Norris (423), Max Verstappen (421), Oscar Piastri (410) and George Russell (319).
Ferrari (398 points) finished fourth in the constructors’ standings behind McLaren (833), Mercedes (469) and Red Bull (451).
Teammate Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, endured one of his worst seasons ever, with the Briton failing to stand on the podium all year for the first time in his career.
He has said that he plans to throw his phone in the bin as he does not want to speak to anyone when he heads into Formula One’s winter break after a nightmare debut campaign with Ferrari.
“At the moment I’m only looking forward to the break, just to disconnecting, not speaking to anyone,” said the 40-year-old after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“No one will be able to get in touch with me this winter. I won’t have my phone with me and I’m looking forward to that. Completely unplug from the matrix. I’ve generally always had it around. But this time, it’s going in the freaking bin.”
In other news, former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto expects Audi to show they mean business in Formula One next season, even if they do not spring any surprises.
The Swiss-Italian, now leader of what were Sauber and will from January race as Audi’s works team, is following a long-term plan that the German manufacturer hopes will tee up a title challenge in 2030.
Sauber already established themselves this season as regular points contenders, even if they finished ninth out of 10.
Confidence has grown under new principal Jonathan Wheatley, a winner recruited from Red Bull to run the team trackside, and the points tally of 70 was their most since 2012 and a massive improvement on the meagre four of 2024 and 16 of 2023.
German veteran Nico Hulkenberg’s first career podium, a surprise third place at Silverstone in July, added to the optimism.
The Audi engine being built in Germany remains an unknown quantity, but Binotto told Reuters he remained confident and committed for the future.
“I think, as a project, we are going in the right path, the right direction and some credibility. We are building some credibility,” he said.
“I can see the dynamic, how much the dynamic has changed, but I think we need patience. We are still in that building phase.
“I’m not expecting to have the best engine next year at all, but still it doesn’t matter because we know that we have set our objectives for 2030.” REUTERS, AFP
