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“Charles Leclerc has never been afraid”: Ferrari ace once lied about knowing how to ski so he wouldn’t get left behind

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"Charles Leclerc has never been afraid": Ferrari ace once lied about knowing how to ski so he wouldn't get left behind

Charles Leclerc is one of the most talented and popular drivers in F1 today. He made his F1 debut back in 2018 with Sauber, and from the very get-go, it was clear that he was a special talent. After impressing with the Swiss outfit, he earned his dream move to Ferrari in 2019.

Leclerc is often labeled as the man who is poised to bring Championship glory back to Maranello. The last driver to win a Title for the prancing horses was Kimi Raikkonen back in 2007, and since then, every driver has fallen short of achieving that, including the likes of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Leclerc too has been unable to win the Title for Ferrari so far, but the Tifosi is optimistic heading into 2023.

At the start of the 2022 season, Leclerc treated fans to some epic wheel-to-wheel battles against Max Verstappen. These early signs promised a lot, but Ferrari’s strategy goof-ups and reliability issues saw them lose out on big points, ultimately ending the Monegasque’s Title charge.

Also read: Mika Hakkinen reminisces karting duels with Michael Schumacher after a video reappears online

Charles Leclerc has always been very brave

Leclerc’s former karting instructor at Brignoles, Nicholas Moni recently revealed an incident that highlights just how fearless Leclerc was. The future 5 GP winner went skiing trip, where he told Moni that he already knew how to ski when he actually didn’t.

“Leclerc has never been afraid,” Moni said. “The first time when he went to a skiing trip, we asked him if he could ski and he said of course. And he started with the black ski run. Of course, it was a lie. He had never skied before.”

Moni went on to praise Leclerc’s determination thereafter.  He revealed how the 25-year-old fell down multiple times, but never complained only because he didn’t want to get left behind.

“He fell a 1000 times but never complained,” Moni continued. “When we older guys went for a run, he came along. 10 kilometers. He was struggling but he never stopped. We were confident that he would stay in bed during the whole next day, but no he was there with us for another run.”

Also read: New Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is holding ‘secret talks’ in Maranello

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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