Charles Leclerc is one of the most accomplished Formula One drivers of our time. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a fierce competitor on the track and a passionate fan favorite. Here is a list of things you did not know about him.
Despite Charles Leclerc’s well documented racing career, there are things you did not know about Charles Leclerc that make him a charming and interesting driver. If Ferrari had been able to provide him with a winning car, there is no question that he would have been a front-position contender during the 2022 season.
In this article, we will take a closer look at some fascinating facts and explore the life of the young F1 driver. From his childhood to his love of music and his passion for the sport, we will dive into the details of the life of Charles Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc – Racing background
Charles was born in Monaco, which means he has a French passport.
He is the son of Herve, who raced in Formula Renault and Formula 3, and his mother, Giselle, is a former karting champion.
Charles Leclerc Early Beginnings in Karting
Leclerc started racing in karts when he was five years of age. At the age of seven, he won the Mini category at the Monaco Kart Cup. In 2009, Leclerc competed in the KF2 category, finishing ninth overall with one win and three podiums.
He then moved up to KF1, winning several races, including the European Championship, World Cup, WSK Masters, and CIK-FIA Super Cup titles.
He won both the Italian and European KF3 championships and went on to win the WSK World Series KF3 title in 2010.
In 2011, he won the CIK-FIA World Karting Championships and the CIK-FIA Super Cup in KF2.
Charles Leclerc – F4
In 2012, Leclerc took part in some rounds of the French F4 championship but didn’t score any points due to mechanical problems or incidents.
Eurocup Formula Renault
He also made his debut in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, where he finished seventh overall with one podium finish at Hungaroring. In 2013, Leclerc continued with Eurocup but competed in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, where he finished second overall behind Kevin Jorg (who would later become his teammate).
Rise to Prominence in Formula Renault 2.0
In 2013, Leclerc moved to Formula Renault 2.0, finishing second overall behind Will Palmer.
Formula 3 And GP3
After dominating the karting world, Charles Leclerc moved to Formula 3 in 2015. He developed a reputation by winning the championship in his rookie season.
He finished third overall behind Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll.
The following year he won three races in GP3 before taking over from Max Verstappen at the Prema Power team for two races in GP2, where he finished second overall behind Stoffel Vandoorne with two wins.
Charles Leclerc – His Move To F2
From there, he moved up to Formula 2, where he continued to impress. In 2017, he won the championship with six race wins and eight pole positions.
Charles Leclerc – F1 Career
His success in the lower formulae caught the attention of Ferrari, who signed him to their driver academy in 2016.
Leclerc’s time in F1 has been nothing short of spectacular.
His Formula One Debut In Haas
Leclerc was signed as the Haas F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari test and reserve driver.
Charles participated in the first practice session of the British and German Grands Prix driving for the Haas F1 team.
In the 2017 F1 season, he participated in the Hungaroring test that was held after the Hungarian Grand Prix. He tested with Ferrari, driving the Ferrari SF70H.
Impressively on the first day of the test he drove for 98 laps and in the process was the fastest.
Leclerc’s Time In Sauber
In 2018, Charles Leclerc made his debut in Formula 1 with Sauber. Despite driving for a team that was not expected to compete at the front of the grid, Leclerc impressed Sauber with his speed and consistency.
He scored points in five races and finished in the top ten on three occasions. His performances caught the attention of the entire paddock, and it was clear that he was a star in the making.
Ferrari took notice and signed him to replace Kimi Raikkonen for the 2019 season.
Signing With Ferrari
In September 2018, it was announced that Charles Leclerc would join Ferrari for the 2019 season, replacing Kimi Raikkonen. This was a huge opportunity for the young driver, as Ferrari is one of the most prestigious teams in Formula 1.
Leclerc was set to partner with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, and many fans were excited to see how the two drivers would work together. Despite some early struggles, Leclerc quickly adapted to the Ferrari and began to show his potential.
In his first F1 race at the Australian Grand Prix, he started on the grid in 5th and ended in the same place.
Charles scored his first pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix ( ahead of Lewis Hamilton). Leclerc set a new track record in the process and became the youngest Ferrari pole-sitter in the team’s history. He led most of the race, but engine problems allowed Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to overtake.
Despite this, a later safety car helped him keep Max Verstappen at bay, and he finished in 3rd place.
His First F1 Win
His first win was at the Belgian Grand Prix later in the season. It was clear that Ferrari had made the right choice in signing the young Monegasque driver.
In his first Ferrari season of Formula 1, he took part in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first time he drove an open-wheel vehicle. He won the race by a margin of 5.8 seconds over Lewis Hamilton.
This gave him the record for being one of the youngest drivers to win a Formula One race at just 21 years old!
He won the FIA Pole Trophy for most pole positions in the 2019 season.
After a lack luster 2020 and 2021 seasons, Ferrari started the 2022 season with great potential. At one point in the year, he was leading the logs, ahead of Max Verstappen.
Unfortunately, Ferraris stumbled a few times during the year, and the early promise was lost.
He ended up the 2022 season in (a closely fought) second place.
His F1 racing statistics are as follows.
- Number of wins – 5
- Number of pole positions – 18
- Number of fastest laps – 7
- Number of podium finishes – 24
Charles Leclerc – Nationality
He was born in Monaco making him a Monacan.
Charles Leclerc races as a Monégasque racing driver.
Charles Leclerc – Full Name?
Leclerc’s full name is Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc – Family
Leclerc was born in Monaco on 11 October 1997 to parents Hervé and Natasha.
Charles is the second oldest of two other siblings.
- His younger brother is Arthur.
- His older brother is Lorenzo.
His father was a Formula 1 driver manager, and his mother is a big fan of the sport, which proved to be a great asset for Charles’ further racing career. Sadly, his dad Hervé died after a long illness, aged 54, before he saw Charles win in F1.
Charles Leclerc Languages
Leclerc speaks French, Italian, and English fluently.
Charles Leclerc – School?
He attended the International School of Paris and started racing karts at eight.
Conclusion
Charles Leclerc has had an impressive career so far. As the saying goes, he is only just starting! Charles will become a champion if Ferrari can deliver a race-winning car!
Go, Charles the Great!
References
f1worldwidehttps://f1worldwide.com/
2023 F1 Driver Line Up (f1worldwide.com)
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Nepotism or natural talent based on his genetics and life experiences? Hard to tell with racing royalty!
Ha Ha
Very interesting