Pressure is one of the variables that might influence a person’s character. In a highly competitive sport like Formula 1, relentless pressure will follow you around as an athlete. The driver, like Michael Schumacher, who is able to control them with high thresholds emerges as one of the best in the sport. It appears that Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has taken a page from the legendary pilot’s book in order to cope with the mounting pressure and regenerate the Prancing Horse.

Any driver would consider it an honor to drive for Ferrari. It is even more special because of the large following and the chance to work in the same garage as some of the world’s greatest drivers, but this also comes with great pressure to perform. Prior to Michael Schumacher entering the team, Ferrari’s last victory came in 1983, which was challenging for the team as a whole. However, after the German joined the team, everything changed, and Scuderia became a big name in the F1 world.

The last driver to win a championship for Ferrari since the glory days of Schumacher and Jean Todt was Kimi Raikkonen in 2007. The wait for bringing a trophy to Maranello has lasted more than 15 years now. However, Charles Leclerc came close in a championship bout last year but was beaten by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen with nearly 150 points. This has put tremendous pressure on the team to perform well.

Leclerc has been plagued by consistent bad luck in the first three races of this season, so the story hasn’t changed. However, the Monegasque experienced some relief at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which may have given him cause for celebration. With that, the Monaco native hopes to revive Ferrari’s heyday and replicate what Schumacher’s era witnessed.

When asked by Bild.de how much pressure he feels as a Ferrari driver, the 25-year-old said, “There is always pressure in Formula 1 – especially at Ferrari. It’s just a special team with very special fans. They have this endless passion for the team. The feeling of victory, that love you get from the supporters, is indescribable. But in the difficult moments it is of course also more difficult to deal with. But that shouldn’t be an excuse.”

While adding that Schumacher’s period saw immense pressure yet they performed, he said, “We have to be able to deal with it. Michael (Schumacher; ed.) and Jean (Todt; ed.) also had immense pressure and still won several world championships in a row. So we can’t complain.”

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The young man from Monaco, Charles Leclerc, had his racing debut in 2019, and ever since, he has proven to the world that he is a championship contender. But he still doesn’t have a championship-winning vehicle. With that, there were rising rumors that the 25-year-old might switch to Red Bull or Mercedes. And now the Ferrari’s wonder has opened up on it.

Will Charles Leclerc move to Red Bull or Mercedes to chase the championship?

At the end of the 2024 calendar year, Charles Leclerc’s contract with the Scuderia will expire. In the entire time he’s been with Ferrari, hasn’t won the championship owing to their reliability and strategic blunders. Given the struggles of Ferrari and the fact that Lewis Hamilton’s contract is still up in the air, there are growing rumors that Leclerc might switch to Mercedes.

Fans may have missed that Sergio Perez will also have his contract expire around that time. So, the question arises. Is the Ferrari man seduced by any of the offers? While Leclerc had already denied any talks with Mercedes, he said, “I believe in the team [Ferrari] 100 percent and trust everyone from the mechanic to the team boss. But it’s not a one-way street anyway: the team has to believe in me too. But it’s still too early to talk about a new contract.”

When the German Publication Bild asked him to switch to Red Bull considering they are the best in the business currently, Leclerc said, “You don’t have to go to Red Bull to become world champion.”

WATCH THIS STORY: How Long Will Charles Leclerc Wait for Ferrari – Will He Leave for Some Other team Post-2024?

Following the revival in Azerbaijan, do you believe Ferrari has cracked the secret of success?