Each F1 driver has his own way of getting ready for a race. For Charles Leclerc, he once revealed to Ted Kravitz that he prepares for races by taking naps. During this interview earlier this year, Kravitz asked Leclerc if it felt very different when he came out of his quiet room and it all “explodes”.
In reply, the Monegasque said, “Yeah, I was actually sleeping literally two minutes ago“.
When asked if this is his favorite preparation for a race, Leclerc replied, “Yeah I always have like a 40-minute nap before doing the walk and talk as we call it in Ferrari”. Another pre-race ritual that Leclerc has begun following recently is listening to music before he steps into the car.
In an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, he said, “I actually like listening to music before getting into the car. It helps me to separate myself from this hectic grid and to be a bit more in my zone and on my own”.
“i’m good! i woke up 20 minutes ago, so still a bit sleepy”
that explains his face when he arrived pic.twitter.com/oQm9Hgy9oq
— clara (@leclercsletters) August 24, 2024
When it comes to sleeping, Leclerc believes that he has always enjoyed it. However, he did give a good reason for it in an interview with Jay Shetty earlier this year.
Leclerc claims he sleeps 10-11 hours a day
While speaking to Shetty on the Jay Shetty podcast, Leclerc explained how traveling across the world for nine months is very hectic as an F1 driver. Hence, in order to relax and get adequate rest, he sleeps for 10-11 hours a day as he believes this is the best way for him to recharge.
It is for the same reason he said on the podcast, “For me, sleep is the number one priority”. When it comes to his diet before races, he usually eats carbohydrates to provide an offset to the weight he would lose after a long and exhausting race.
Meanwhile, in the interview with Rolling Stone, the 26-year-old said that he eats the same meal every Sunday before a race. Leclerc revealed that he eats plain chicken with rice an hour and a half before every race.