As Formula 1 arrives at the historic track at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has a bold target in mind.
For Scuderia Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, this season has been a journey to narrow the gap to the frontrunners. At Thursday’s Drivers’ Press Conference, he sat down to discuss the goals the team has set for this weekend.
Building momentum ahead of the F1 British GP
Ferrari has landed on the podium in three out of four races thanks to the Monegasque driver, gradually showing progress in a rather difficult season.
“We are improving step by step,” Leclerc said during Thursday’s press conference following an update in Austria.
“But we are not fully satisfied yet, because the end target is to try and win races,” he continued.
As the Monegasque driver gains momentum and lands himself podium finishes, he acknowledges that while the results lead in a positive direction, no one should feel too comfortable unless it leads to victory.
So close, yet so far
To define Ferrari’s season to date: it’s been so close yet so far, as each weekend brings its own set of challenges. While the team was riding high last season with consistent performance in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships, 2025 did not pick up where they had finished in Abu Dhabi.
Instead, the first half of the season has been rather frustrating for Leclerc and his teammate Lewis Hamilton as both drivers struggle to keep up with the ever-changing nature of the car, while trying to challenge competitors like McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes, who are constantly keeping the pressure high.
“Much tougher first part of the season than what we expected,” he said. “When you end last year fighting for wins and the Constructors’ Championship, you expect to start in the same position. That wasn’t the case.”
Recently, there has been a noticeable shift during the last couple of races as the drivers landed themselves in the top five, with Leclerc delivering podium finishes; he credits Ferrari’s recent upgrades that are making way for decent progress.
“Now we are finding our way again with development. It definitely helped us take steps forward, and I know more things are coming — hopefully as soon as possible,” Leclerc added.
Learning from the past for the future
When asked if Ferrari’s trend of finishing strong while starting slow is part of a recurring pattern, Leclerc acknowledged that this year’s challenges are different from those the team faced in 2023; he also pointed out that the team has not yet met its goal of achieving consistency from one season to the next.
“The reasons for our step back aren’t the same as last year,” he explained. “But I hope we can soon build a strong car from the start and have a solid season from beginning to end. That hasn’t happened yet.”
Although Ferrari hasn’t had the best start to their season, several big teams have shown similar patterns as they struggle to keep up. Red Bull sat at the top of the Constructors’ Championship last year before being overtaken by McLaren, and Max Verstappen led the Drivers’ Championship.
Now, the tables have completely turned as McLaren dominates both Championships and Red Bull sits below the top two.
“You always tend to find another barrier along the development line. It’s not only us — many teams are in the same situation.” Leclerc added.
Hopes for a positive start in Silverstone
Looking ahead at this weekend, expectations are high, yet the driver remains grounded. Viewing Silverstone as a track where the team has been rather competitive in the past, this weekend is important to bring their A game, especially with the competition surrounding them.
Leclerc’s teammate Lewis Hamilton secured an incredible victory last year with his former team, Mercedes on his home soil, and wishes the winning streak continues.
“Lewis has always been exceptional here… But I hope we can have a great weekend and hopefully a shot at victory,” Leclerc said. “It’s been a long time since we last fought for one.”
Looking ahead
This weekend, Silverstone will be drowning in papaya for McLaren and silver for Mercedes, making Ferrari’s path to victory challenging, but also presenting exciting opportunities for the team to finally bridge their gap to the frontlines.
The podiums have shown real signs of progress, qualifying has brought out the most pace the teammates can muster, and the recent updates from Austria highlight good pace, but the win that everyone desperately hopes for hasn’t shown up thanks to McLaren’s incredible pace.
If all goes according to plan, Silverstone can reignite the passion and bring Ferrari a victory they’ve been hoping for.
