Charles Leclerc says “90% of the rumours” around internal turmoil within Ferrari are “completely unfounded” in the wake of a bruising 2023 season-opener.

Leclerc retired from the Bahrain Grand Prix with an electrical issue when he was on course for a distant third-place finish behind the two dominant Red Bulls – a far cry from his flying start to 2022 where he won two of the opening three races.

There was intense scrutiny from the Italian media in the wake of the race and rumours of further high-profile departures, with head of vehicle concept David Sanchez’s exit adding to those of other significant figures within the team over the winter in the aftermath team boss Mattia Binotto’s resignation in November.

New Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur moved to quash talk of internal turmoil in the build-up to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and his drivers followed suit on Thursday in Jeddah.

“Honestly I obviously saw these rumours and then went to Maranello [after Bahrain] so I was at first I was like ‘oh I’m not sure how the team will react to it’ but then we’ve had a meeting with the whole team, with all the Ferrari employees. I was really surprised,” said Leclerc, who will serve a grid penalty this weekend already as a consequence of the reliability dramas in Bahrain.

leclerc: ‘90%’ of current ferrari f1 gossip false

“Everyone is fully on it and fully positive still, which is great. We all need to push in the same direction as I said this is the most important.”

As well as a team-wide meeting there was a report that Leclerc had sought reassurances directly from Ferrari president John Elkann about Ferrari’s direction in a one-to-one meeting.

“This is absolutely untrue,” Leclerc said when The Race asked him if he’d sought reassurances from Elkann.

“There have been loads of rumours around the team – which, for once, 90% of them were completely unfounded.

“I don’t know from where it is coming from and to be honest I don’t want to even spend any energy on trying to find from where it’s coming from. We just need to be on it and focus on ourselves.”

Leclerc called for the team to focus on improving its on-track performance rather than paying attention to outside voices and reports.

leclerc: ‘90%’ of current ferrari f1 gossip false

“It’s only the first race of the season and we’ve still got many more races to go,” he said.

“We still need to be fighting like crazy to be back at the top and keep pushing.

“When it’s Ferrari who doesn’t go as well as it should then there’s lots of voices and all of these things around the team but we need to be good at spending our energy right inside the team, pushing in the right direction and making a difference and come back stronger.

“I feel this has been the case in the last few weeks so I’m really looking forward to be being back on track, stop the talk and get back to driving.”

Leclerc said the image portrayed by the media does “not at all” represent the true picture within Ferrari.

His team-mate Carlos Sainz echoed that sentiment saying “it is a lot better than what the news makes it sound like” and that some elements of the media are trying to “destabilise the team”.

“When you look back at this last week and how many rumours there’s been around, seems like the place is not in a great moment but I can tell you, it is so clear to us what we need to improve, how we need to do it and what are the short-, medium- and long-term targets,” Sainz said.

leclerc: ‘90%’ of current ferrari f1 gossip false

“I’m actually very surprised how some people back at home have been trying to destabilise the team a bit, because some call it a crisis – we’ve only done one race, it’s impossible to judge a team’s performance in this race.

“We’re the first ones who are not happy with how this first race went and we are the most bothered about it and we are the most affected by it and we’re going to try as much as possible to try and improve it.

“I’m pretty calm about it and I see people at home [in Maranello] committed, focussed and with a very clear target in mind and I include myself in that.”

Sainz says Ferrari has been “caught off guard” by its race pace relative to Red Bull and the reliability issues that resulted in Leclerc’s Bahrain GP retirement and grid penalty this weekend, but doesn’t believe there’s a systemic problem that’s holding Ferrari back.

“I think it’s simply a sign that there’s someone out there doing a bit of a better job than us and that we need to raise the bar but while we’re raising the bar every year and becoming a stronger team, the others are doing the same,” Sainz explained.

“It’s not only how much you can progress from one year to another, but it also is how much you can progress relative to the rest of the field and I’ve been in Ferrari for three years, the progress I’ve seen in the team from 2021 to 2023 is huge.

“I think the right exam [assessment of Ferrari’s state] has to be done later in the year and towards the end of the year – one other area that’s important is development and the capacity to improve the mistakes you do.

“I think we’re going to do a good job this year on development, we have very clear targets of what we need to improve on the car, the car is responding [on track] exactly the same as in the windtunnel so we know where the car is weak and what we want to do.”

Keyword: Leclerc: ‘90%’ of current Ferrari F1 gossip false

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Sainz: Ferrari defeat to Mercedes ‘fair’ reflection of F1 2023

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari. 25.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Qualifying Day Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari’s defeat to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship in Abu Dhabi painted a “fair” reflection of the teams’ respective form in 2023. Having ...

View more: Sainz: Ferrari defeat to Mercedes ‘fair’ reflection of F1 2023

Leclerc explains tactics in closing stages of Abu Dhabi GP

Charles Leclerc (FRA), Scuderia Ferrari 26.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Race Day. Charles Leclerc has explained the tactics that saw him relinquish second position on the road to Sergio Perez during the closing stages of the Abu Dhabi ...

View more: Leclerc explains tactics in closing stages of Abu Dhabi GP

F1 Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen cruises to win as Mercedes beat Ferrari to second in constructors' championship

Max Verstappen capped off a record-breaking, championship winning 2023 F1 season in style with victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Having fended off a first-lap attack from Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, the result was never in doubt for Verstappen, who comfortably claimed a record-extending 19th win from 22 races. ...

View more: F1 Abu Dhabi GP: Max Verstappen cruises to win as Mercedes beat Ferrari to second in constructors' championship

Listen to This Manual Ferrari F430 Hit 192 MPH On The Autobahn

What do you get when you pair a gated shifter and a flat-plane crank Ferrari V-8 to a road with no speed limit? Pure automotive bliss.

View more: Listen to This Manual Ferrari F430 Hit 192 MPH On The Autobahn

Sainz believes rivals deliberately impeded final Abu Dhabi Q1 run

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari. 25.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Qualifying Day Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was a shock exit in the first round of qualifying Saturday in Abu Dhabi and credited the likes of Mercedes and Alpine in ...

View more: Sainz believes rivals deliberately impeded final Abu Dhabi Q1 run

Charles Leclerc says Abu Dhabi front row a “big surprise” after fearing Q1 exit with ‘peaky’ Ferrari F1 car 

Charles Leclerc says ending up on the front row of the grid for the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a “big surprise” after he feared a Q1 elimination. The Ferrari driver produced a special lap with his final run of Q3 to put his car on the front ...

View more: Charles Leclerc says Abu Dhabi front row a “big surprise” after fearing Q1 exit with ‘peaky’ Ferrari F1 car 

Leclerc reveals Q1 exit concerns before ‘surprise’ Abu Dhabi front row

Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari celebrates his second position in qualifying parc ferme. 25.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 23, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, Qualifying Day. Charles Leclerc admits he was concerned about being eliminated in Q1 before ending up with a “surprise” front row ...

View more: Leclerc reveals Q1 exit concerns before ‘surprise’ Abu Dhabi front row

Michael Mann's Ferrari Is An Authentic Portrait Of One Of Motorsport's Weirdest Guys

Gif: IGN / YouTube If you’re familiar with the oft-mythologized story of Enzo Ferrari, there are a few things you’ll know about the man. He rarely left Modena, the small Italian town he called home, after he and his wife Laura founded Scuderia Ferrari. He ran the most iconic ...

View more: Michael Mann's Ferrari Is An Authentic Portrait Of One Of Motorsport's Weirdest Guys

Sainz rendered a ‘passenger’ in heavy FP2 crash

Mercedes and Ferrari’s £8m duel for P2 examined ahead of Abu Dhabi F1 season showdown

A farewell to GTE, part two: Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and Dodge

Leclerc targets 2024 F1 title battle after ‘disappointing’ season

Ferrari want ‘more clarity’ on F1 rules after Sainz Vegas GP penalty

Ferrari Roma Spider makes Malaysian debut, RM3.2 million

Ferrari opens new showroom next to KLCC

Ital Auto Malaysia Opens Ferrari Showroom In Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur

Watch The Coolest Custom Ferrari On the Planet Grenade Its Honda Engine On Track

Ital Auto Malaysia: Ferrari Malaysia’s New Home

Ferrari Purosangue is now in Malaysia from RM5 million

How Ferrari gets payback for 'stupid' F1 rule + Gary Anderson's view

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel