Ferrari and Charles Leclerc are all set to head into a new era of their association after they announced a contract extension for “several more seasons.” Testimonies from the team’s principal and the driver followed shortly on the team’s official website. Given Leclerc’s long-standing history with the team that began on 27th November 2018, it is only fitting that we revisit it once.
The Formula Racing dream began for Charles Leclerc after he graduated to single-seater racing in 2014 by driving for British team Fortec Motorsports in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps championship. The following year, he graduated to Formula 3, and in 2017, the Monegasque driver was racing in the Formula 2 series, clinching titles in both disciplines.
He showcased exceptional driving skills and an impeccable sense of handling pressure when need be, earning him a promotion to F1 after just one year in F2.
In 2016, Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy and acted as a development driver for the Haas F1 team and Scuderia Ferrari. He took part in various tests for both teams and was also the fastest on the track in a 2017 test at the Hungaroring, earning praise from everyone involved in the testing.
2018 saw Charles Leclerc become an F1 driver with Sauber, replacing Pascal Wehrlein. Showcasing the same abilities he put on display in the previous years, Ferrari saw it best to bring him on board their team and have him walk the path once walked by the legendary Michael Schumacher.
In his debut season with Ferrari, Leclerc teamed up with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and did not let pressure get the best of him. He secured victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza in his debut season, leaving a lasting mark in the hearts of every Ferrari fan.
2020 and 2021 hardly had any positive for Leclerc, who failed to reciprocate or improve on his performance from 2019. However, it did not lead to Leclerc losing faith in himself, as he led Ferrari to a resurgent season in 2022.
Leclerc’s passion for Ferrari stems from his father, Herve Leclerc, who was a true Ferrari fan, and his godfather, Jules Bianchi, who was a racing driver on Ferrari’s radar, but an unfortunate demise could not see the dream become a reality. Ever since Leclerc took it upon himself to accomplish the goal.
The Ferrari journey of Charles Leclerc starting from 2019
Charles Leclerc had an immediate impact on the team upon joining, securing his first pole position in the second race of the season in Bahrain, ultimately finishing P3. 11 races later, he secured his first-ever F1 Grand Prix win, edging out Lewis Hamilton by less than a second to stand at the top of the podium in Belgium.
He added to the joy of the Tifosi immediately after Belgium, securing his second consecutive win in front of the home crowd at the Italian GP in Monza. The moment raised Leclerc’s approval rate within the hearts of every Ferrari fan and made him one of their own.
In 2022, Leclerc fell just short of a historic Grand Slam after he secured the fastest lap in the Bahrain GP race and won the Grand Prix after starting from pole position, leading all but two laps of the race. The Monegasque got the coveted Grand Slam race win in Australia.
Another race win came for Leclerc in Austria after a resilient drive saw him secure the full extent of points despite late issues with his car posing severe problems. These problems carried over into 2023 and did not yield the 26-year-old with any race wins.
With the 2024 season almost upon us, Leclerc is heading into the seventh season of his career with Ferrari after spending 1,885 days in red overalls. After signing up for the future beyond 2024, the #16 driver at the prime of his career will be hoping to add to his record with Ferrari and indeed become a world champion soon!
