Leclerc: 'The taste of victory motivates me to win'

F1 News

Leclerc speaks out on what motivates him to win the world championship
28 May at 15:00
Last update 28 May at 19:12
  • Sophia Crothall

Charles Leclerc secured his first home race win on Sunday in Monaco. This places him 31 points behind world champion Max Verstappen in the drivers championship, with Ferrari being 24 points behind Red Bull in the constructors championship. As the battle heats up and the gap continues to close, Leclerc spoke on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast about what winning the championship would mean to him, and what is motivating him to do that. 

When host Jay Shetty asked Leclerc what motivates him to win the world championship, the Ferrari driver replied: "Just to be the number one. Just the feeling of the victory, obviously. I mean, I won a few races in Formula One. And the feeling that you get once you get that win is incredible. Because, you know, you've done the best on track, but it depends on so many other people doing the right thing."

"It's such an incredible joy, not only for you, but for more than 1,500 people that are back at the factory in Maranello working for the Formula One program. So it's crazy. There are so many people involved. And whenever you achieve that as a team, it's such an incredible feeling. The taste of victory is what motivates me." 

'I think about winning the world championship one day'

With the gap closing in between Red Bull and Ferrari, as well as between Verstappen and Leclerc, there is a possibility the championship could become a reality. The Monegasque also recently shared following his win in Monaco that he believes with team boss, Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari is heading in the right direction to do so, and will become a championship winning team once again. 

Nevertheless, for the Ferrari driver, he continues to think about what it would be like to win everyday: "Every morning I wake up and I think about that. Every day that is a bit more difficult to wake up and go in training, I think about winning a world championship one day and the feeling that it gives me. This is what motivates me. "