Leclerc breaks the record for points scored with Scuderia Ferrari

This time, the statistic is firmly anchored in stone: Charles Leclerc became the pilot Ferrari having scored the most points for the Italian team in Formula 1. He overtook his former teammate, Sebastian Vettel.

This record is the second time that the Monegasque has achieved it, having already surpassed the German following the Chinese Grand Prix... before being disqualified due to the weight of his single-seater, which was below the limits authorized by the FIA. It is therefore on the occasion of the Japanese Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc outclassed his old rival. With 4th place achieved at Suzuka, a decent performance given the pace of his car, the 12 points collected allowed him to reach a total of 1 units marked in red, 411 more than Sebastian Vettel.

However, is this record a true achievement or a sham? One thing is certain: it must be put into perspective because it does not take into account the changes in the points scale throughout the history of Formula 1. Leclerc benefits from a generous distribution—a victory now earns 25 points, compared to 10 before 2010—and a much denser calendar than before. All of these factors make comparisons with the legends of the past difficult.

It is therefore important to make the comparison fairer and to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar: if we ignore the disparities between the eras, Michael Schumacher has 1066 points, almost 400 units less than the Monegasque despite his 72 victories with the Prancing Horse. On the other hand, if we are fair and apply the current points system to the Kaiser, his units jump to 1800 points... just with his victories! Here is the church put back in the center of the village.

A frustrating accomplishment?

Is this "historic" mark for Charles Leclerc with Ferrari a deception? The number 16 driver's performance has always been mixed in the face of the Tifosi's excessive expectations. Nicknamed "Il Predestinato," the Scuderia's little prince is no longer the young hope of yesterday. Now an established driver, he is entering his seventh season with Ferrari and in 129 Grands Prix, the Monegasque has scored 26 pole positions, 43 podiums... but only 8 victories. Since his debut, the future always seems to promise him the best, without it fully materializing.

The start of the 2025 season confirmed this misfortune. The end of 2024, although promising, gave hope that the Scuderia would return to the forefront. But after three Grands Prix, no Ferrari has yet reached the podium, except in the Sprint race.

Charles Leclerc's record can therefore be interpreted in two ways. On the one hand, it marks a major accomplishment, and the Monegasque further inscribes his name in the history of the Scuderia. On the other, it awakens a form of frustration, even disillusionment: after seven seasons in red, the promises of the "Predestined" remain unresolved, and Italy is still waiting for the return of the world title. Of course, the lack of success is not his only responsibility, as he has never enjoyed a single-seater capable of sweeping everything since his debut at Maranello.

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