Charles Leclerc Aims for Wins Over Second Place in Constructors' Standings

Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque driver for Ferrari, has expressed his true ambitions for the rest of the 2026 Formula 1 season, and they don't revolve around securing second place in the Constructors' Championship. Instead, Leclerc is more interested in bringing home race victories for the storied Italian team.

Currently, Ferrari holds a comfortable 105-point lead over McLaren, with Red Bull creeping closer in the top three battle. While the fight for P2 in the standings could extend to the season's end, Leclerc is clear that winning races matters more.

When asked about the significance of clinching second place, Leclerc candidly shared, "Honestly, the most important thing for us is to focus race by race and try to get as many wins as possible from now until the end of the season, which eventually, as a result, will give us second place in the Constructors’ Championship. But second place in the Constructors’ Championship isn’t something I really care about. It’s obviously better than third, but it wouldn’t be a huge satisfaction."

For Leclerc, the ultimate satisfaction lies in being competitive against the top teams and actually securing victories. "A much bigger satisfaction would be for us to be able to fight for wins and actually win races before the end of the year," he added. "That would also be a good sign to start next year on a high."

Ferrari has shown flashes of potential recently, notably claiming a double podium during the Singapore Sprint. However, Leclerc's pursuit of Max Verstappen in the main race ultimately fell short.

Despite some suggesting that Ferrari was the fastest team at Marina Bay, Leclerc disagreed, stating, "I don’t agree, but to each their own opinion. And, yeah, at the end of the day, we’ll never know, so I think maybe it’s a bit of a pointless discussion." Nonetheless, he acknowledged the team's strong performance and the steps they still need to take.

Leclerc is also wary of the competition, recognizing Red Bull's recent form and momentum. "As we’ve seen, Red Bull have taken a step up over the last few races, and they’re enjoying very good momentum. It’s up to us to try to reverse that trend and get back in front," he said.

He anticipates a resurgence from Mercedes and improvements from McLaren, who are reportedly introducing significant upgrades. "It’s exciting. I think we’re all relatively close, and it all comes down to small details. We’ve got to be the team that comes out on top," Leclerc concluded.

As the season progresses, Leclerc's focus remains on crossing the finish line first, aiming to boost Ferrari's morale and set the stage for a competitive start to the next year.