All eyes are on Ferrari for this weekend’s action, with the Scuderia under intense scrutiny at their home race at Monza. While the F1-75’s performance is enough to give Leclerc and Carlos Sainz a chance to fight for victory at the Italian Grand Prix, the team’s overall performance this season has seen their title bid collapse against its juggernaut Red Bull and Max Verstappen. . As a result of this performance, which was not helped by several strategic errors and a lack of operational clarity, there was much media speculation about Binotto’s future as team principal and whether Ferrari chairman John Elkann could changes for next season. . Leclerc, the driver who has seen his title bid fall due to these issues, was asked about the difficulty of dealing with the rumors as they headed to the pressure cooker of Monza to face the tifosi. “There are always rumors around a Formula 1 team and especially with Ferrari,” Leclerc told the media about the situation. “I think the most important thing in these moments is not to be distracted by what is being said around. “We’re very united as a team and I think we need to keep it that way.” Leclerc pointed to Ferrari’s uptick in performance compared to 2021, a winless season for the Scuderia, and said the team’s overall momentum is going in the right direction. “We showed we were great from last year to this year by putting in this kind of performance,” he said. “We must continue to work in this direction. Obviously, taking away all those outside rumors, I didn’t hear it specifically, but obviously we just have to focus on our work.”
Former Ferrari drivers weigh in on rumours
Sitting alongside Leclerc were former Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who both offered their insights into how they dealt with rumors of their bosses being sacked. During Alonso’s tenure at Ferrari between 2010 and 2014, it was Stefano Domenicali who took center stage, the Italian resigning in early 2014 when the F-14T proved less competitive. “At least in my case, I never paid much attention to rumours,” Alonso said. “So all these things when you’re at Ferrari… when you’re in Formula 1 you generally have to perform – if not, things will change. The same goes for drivers, engineers, designers and bosses. There is enormous pressure. This is not a charity event. This is professional sport.” For Vettel, his arrival at the Scuderia coincided with the promotion of Maurizio Arrivabene to team principal – the pair worked together until Arrivabene was replaced by Binotto at the end of 2018. “I think when you’re racing for Ferrari at Monza in Italy, that’s when you’re going to be faced with rumours,” commented Vettel. “But as Fernando said, rumors are rumors. I haven’t heard that particular rumour, but I think it’s something you have to deal with when you race for Ferrari in Italy. “But equally, in two weeks we’ll be somewhere else and you’ll have to deal with it less. There are rumours, but like I said, I don’t know anything at the moment.”
