Charles Leclerc seeks elusive Singapore GP win as Ferrari look to turn fortunes around

SINGAPORE – An hour before Charles Leclerc’s arrival at 313@somerset for a sponsor’s event on Sept 30, fans decked in Ferrari shirts had begun gathering in the mall, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Formula One star.

When the 27-year-old finally emerged inside apparel sponsor Puma’s flagship store, the screams were instant as the Monegasque smiled and waved at the crowd, appearing in good spirits, at ease in a country he has grown fond of.

The Ferrari driver has five podium finishes this season but is still without a win, something he hopes to change at the Oct 3-5 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

“It’s been a tough season. I don’t think we’ve been exactly where we want to be as a team,” Leclerc told The Straits Times in an interview arranged by Puma.

“Personally, I’m very happy with the way I’ve performed and I’m just really looking forward to bringing Ferrari to the top and to be winning again and I hope it starts this weekend in Singapore – it’s a track that I love, it’s one of my favourite tracks of the season.”

While Leclerc, who has eight F1 victories, has never stood atop the podium in Singapore, he has a creditable record on the street circuit of the night race.

Other than a ninth-placed finish for Sauber in 2018, he has finished in the top five in four races with Ferrari, coming close to winning twice.

Those moments came in 2019 and 2022 – when he started on pole each time, but had to settle for second on both occasions.

In 2019, he finished behind then teammate Sebastian Vettel. Three years later, he lost his lead to Red Bull’s Sergio Perez before Turn 1 on the first lap and came in second again.

While Leclerc’s pace on the narrow street layout has never been a doubt, converting it to victory is another matter.

It is notoriously hard to overtake on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, thanks to its short start-finish straight, numerous 90-degree corners and limited drag reduction system zones – the International Automobile Federation raised it to four in 2024 but the allocation for 2025 has not been confirmed.

But the challenge is part of the appeal for Leclerc.

He said: “I love city tracks in general and having the walls so close is a challenge for us drivers and a challenge I particularly enjoy.”

One driving force is helping Ferrari finish the season strong with seven stops to go. The Scuderia sit third in the constructors’ championship with 286 points, behind leaders McLaren (623) and Mercedes (290).

Beyond this season, Leclerc still harbours big ambitions, including becoming an F1 world champion.

He has been a consistent front runner since his rookie season in 2018, coming closest to the drivers’ title in 2022, when he finished second in the standings, 146 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

But he still has many moments he is proud of, including the home victory on Monaco’s street circuit in 2024, with the experience gained moulding him into the driver he is today.

He said: “I arrived in F1, I was very young and there was a lot for me to learn and grow from, and I did. I improved a lot of different skills.

“The speed in itself is the thing that changes the least because it’s the kind of thing you have or don’t, but the experience all around, the way you manage races, your emotions, I think is super important and it’s on that front that I grew the most – as an athlete and as a person.”

Looking ahead to 2026, when a sweeping set of regulation changes look set to shake up the sport, Leclerc sees the chance to push for bigger goals.

He said: “I definitely see as a big opportunity for us as a driver, as a team, there are going to be many, many changes and we’re going to have to be the one to start those new regulations on the right path.

“I always try to work as hard as possible to be as ready as I can, whether it’s physically or mentally. I’ll try to push and keep getting better and better every year – that has always been my approach and that won’t change.”

Off the track, Leclerc’s interests extend to fashion, something he expresses through his collaboration with Puma.

He said: “Fashion in general is very important – being an athlete, with Puma it fits perfectly for my fashion sense and what I want to show as a racing driver and as a person.

“Fashion is for me a way to speak without actually speaking, to show the way you feel without actually speaking and it’s something that I use every day in order to show my emotions and the way I feel comfortable with and the things that can be truly myself.”