“I will always try to push the limit”: Charles Leclerc won’t change his mentality despite Ferrari’s inconsistent F1 season

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari have had an underwhelming start to their 2023 F1 season, which has been underlined by reliability issues, strategy blunders, and a peaky car that is tricky to drive.

Leclerc suffered one of the worst starts to the season during his five-year stint with Ferrari. The Italian team entered the season with high hopes of fighting for the title, only to be embarrassed by Red Bull's superiority.

Amidst Ferrari's downward spiral, Charles Leclerc remains committed to the team, trying to make the most of the current circumstances. The Monegasque explained how he tackles these tough times in a recent interview with The Guardian.

"My mentality has always been to push at the maximum and not leave anything on the table," he said.

"When you have a trickier car to drive, as is the case for the first part of this season, mistakes happen. I know this. Whenever there is something missing I am trying to find something that is not there, I will always try to push the limit," he added.

Charles Leclerc in the British GP

Despite not having the fastest car, Charles Leclerc is the only driver to deny Red Bull a pole position this year. After his brilliant outing in Azerbaijan, he produced another scintillating lap in Austria to qualify on the front row.

While pushing the limits of the SF-23, Leclerc also crossed the limits when he crashed in Miami. The tricky handling characteristics of the car have haunted both him and teammate Carlos Sainz, who have been vocal about the issues.

The upgrades on the car haven't solved the lingering issues, while a midfield team like McLaren has made a huge leap.

The British team stole the limelight in its home race last weekend, where Ferrari drivers finished ninth and tenth, one of their worst results of the season.

Amidst Ferrari's continued struggles, Leclerc deems it his responsibility to bring the Prancing Horse "back to the top".

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Charles Leclerc was reportedly contacted by two teams to part ways with Ferrari

Formula 1 Testing in Abu Dhabi - Day One

Italian media sources have reported that Red Bull and Aston Martin were involved in talks with Charles Leclerc for a possible move after the completion of his Ferrari contract.

Leclerc's current contract with the Italian team expires at the end of 2024, and seemingly Red Bull is interested in securing the services of the Monegasque driver.

"Talks with the Monegasque [and Red Bull] that took place at the end of May, to understand if there was any possibility that the paths with Ferrari could separate," Italian media formu1a.uno reported.

Aston Martin is also reported to have contacted him to secure its future driver lineup once Fernando Alonso retires. The Italian publication went on to add that Frederic Vassuer's top priority is to renew Leclerc's contract.