Growing up wanting to be a professional F1 driver, Charles Leclerc had his father and his Godfather, Jules Bianchi, to act as inspirations for him. However, the Monegasque looked beyond his immediate aids and drew inspiration from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. In addition to looking up to the seven-time world champion, he also found his ultimate idol in one of the greatest drivers of all time – Ayrton Senna.
@Charles_Leclerc “My father was a fan of Ayrton Senna and growing up, he became my hero too.”#essereFerrari #SennaSempre pic.twitter.com/fnEEajgPou
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) May 1, 2019
Talking about the drivers that inspire him, L’Officiel Italia quoted Leclerc as he took the names of the likes of James Hunt, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, and Lewis Hamilton. However, he added that three-time former world champion Senna was his favorite driver.
“Ayrton Senna is my favorite idol of all time.”
Detailing his statement, Leclerc said that his entire knowledge of what Senna was like comes from the documentaries based on his life. He believes Senna was a “special person” and was perhaps the best driver to ever grace F1. Additionally, Leclerc also felt Senna’s off-track persona had much to admire, too.
With Hamilton also holding a special place in his heart, Leclerc is enjoying a budding friendship with one of his inspirations. The duo became unfortunate victims of a plank wear DSQ in Austin, but the incident gave way to them becoming friends who now spend time discovering their shared interests in music and chess-related challenges.
Much like Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton also holds Ayrton Senna in high regard
Before the tragic accident in 1994 that led to the demise of Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian had racked up three world championships. Having won the world champion a record seven times, Hamilton has never shied away from admitting Senna was always his one true idol. Apart from his racing style, Hamilton once admitted to being a fan of Senna’s helmet colors and his passion for the sport, which was evident every time he would talk about F1.
Three-time world champions Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart talk about the would-be three-time world champion Ayrton Senna. 1991 season.
The most technical ✅
The Fastest ✅
The Best ✅
Unbeatable ✅Doc “La Course Dans le Sang” by Jean Claude Guiter, G2 Films. Via L’Équipe pic.twitter.com/NsKMDVqq8B
— Petrolhead (@NuvolariTazio1) December 23, 2023
Furthermore, Hamilton admitted to being a fan of Senna’s resilience in the F1 realm, as he stood strong in a sport that wasn’t always too kind to him. Hamilton, himself, has been at the receiving end of some unwelcome gestures in F1 and knows what it feels like to face opposition from the sport’s authorities. The shared appreciation and admiration for Senna became a bonding factor for Leclerc and Hamilton, who were not always on poor terms with each other but also did not share a very healthy friendship early on.
