Charles Leclerc: Ferrari is no longer the favorite anywhere this year

(Motorsport-Total.com) - Ferrari is facing its first winless Formula 1 season since 2021 this year. With eight races left before the end of the season, the Scuderia has a sprint victory in China thanks to Lewis Hamilton, but the Italians have not yet won a Grand Prix this year.

"I think that Singapore, maybe Baku and Las Vegas, are the three tracks where we might be a little closer to winning a race," said Charles Leclerc, who has already achieved at least five podium finishes this season.

His best result was second place at his home race in Monaco , and he also finished third four times. Nevertheless, the Monegasque made it clear that Ferrari will no longer arrive at any races this year as favorites.

"I think we'll go there as the third favorites," he says. Besides championship leader McLaren, Leclerc also sees Red Bull as the favorite ahead of the Scuderia. Max Verstappen recently triumphed at Ferrari's home race in Monza.

Therefore, Ferrari might once again start a race this year as second favorite if, for example, Red Bull has a bad weekend, but "never" as the top favorite, Leclerc clarifies.

Leclerc: Baku and Singapore are my favorites

"Baku is a track I love and where I've been very strong in the past," he recalls, looking ahead to the upcoming race. Leclerc has finished on the podium there in each of the previous two years, and most importantly, he has taken pole there four times in a row since 2021.

The downside, however, is that he has never won there despite four pole positions. "It's a track where it's very easy to overtake, and if you don't have the right pace in the race, you definitely notice it," explains the Monegasque.

That's why pole position is far less important there than, for example, at the following race in Singapore. It's also a street circuit, but overtaking is considered significantly more difficult there, Leclerc points out.

He also likes Singapore as a track, but unlike Baku, qualifying there is "very important," he emphasizes. And that doesn't necessarily speak in favor of Ferrari, as Leclerc has only been on pole position once in Hungary this year.

Like in Baku, Leclerc has never won in Singapore. Nevertheless, the Monegasque driver isn't giving up hope of celebrating a Grand Prix victory this year, eight races before the end of the season.