Ferrari was properly off the tempo of Pink Bull within the season-opening Sakhir race and Leclerc retired early with an influence unit situation. His team-mate Carlos Sainz misplaced out to Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin on the way in which to fourth.
Since then, tales within the Italian media have prompt that the workforce is in disarray, with key individuals stated to be leaving.
The surprise departure of head of vehicle concept David Sanchez prompted new Ferrari workforce principal Fred Vasseur to dismiss talk that the squad risks losing several more key figures earlier this week.
Leclerc says {that a} assembly of the entire Maranello employees proved optimistic as he acknowledged his position to assist encourage the workforce to make progress.
“It is solely the primary race of the season,” he stated. “I nonetheless consider in it and, after all, we nonetheless have to all consider in it.
“We’ve nonetheless received many, many races to go and we nonetheless should be combating like loopy to be again on the high.
“It hasn’t gone as deliberate and when it is Ferrari that does not go in addition to it ought to, then there are many voices and all of this stuff across the workforce.
“However we should be good at spending our power proper contained in the workforce pushing in the identical course and make a distinction and are available again stronger.
“And I really feel that this has been the case in the previous few weeks, so I am actually trying ahead to being again on observe. Cease the speak and get again to driving.”
Ferrari workforce boss Fred Vasseur hosted a workforce assembly in Maranello which Leclerc described as “absolutely optimistic”.
Picture by: Ferrari
Leclerc stated he was “shocked” by the optimistic response within the camp when he paid a go to after studying the damaging tales within the media.
“I clearly noticed these rumours after which I went to Maranello,” he stated.
“So at first I used to be unsure how the workforce goes to react to it. However then we have had a gathering with an entire workforce, with all of the Ferrari workers.
“And I used to be actually shocked. All people’s absolutely on it and absolutely optimistic, which is nice.”
Leclerc additionally denied a media story that prompt that he had contacted Ferrari chairman John Elkann for reassurances in regards to the workforce’s future.
“That is completely unfaithful,” he stated. “I imply, once more, there have been a great deal of rumours across the workforce, and for as soon as 90% of them have been fully unfounded.
“I do not know from the place it’s coming. And to be sincere, I do not even wish to spend any power on looking for from the place it is coming from, we simply should be on it, and concentrate on ourselves.”
Sainz agreed that there was a superb spirit within the camp, regardless of people in Italy “making an attempt to destabilise” the workforce.
“It’s a lot higher than what the information makes it sound like,” stated the Spaniard.
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“As a result of if you look again at this final week, and what number of rumours there’s been round, it looks as if the place just isn’t in a fantastic second.
“However I can let you know, it’s so clear to us what we have to enhance, how we have to do it, and what are the quick, medium and long run targets that I truly am very shocked how some individuals again at dwelling have been making an attempt to destabilise a bit the workforce.
“Some name it disaster, however we have solely finished one race and it’s inconceivable to evaluate the efficiency on this race.
“We’re the primary ones who aren’t proud of how this primary race went and we’re probably the most bothered about it, and we’re probably the most affected by it. We’re going to strive as a lot as attainable to try to enhance it.
“I see individuals at dwelling dedicated, targeted and with a really clear goal in thoughts. And I embody myself in it.”
