Why Did Haas Reject Charles Leclerc 8 Years Ago?

Charles Leclerc has often been labeled as Ferrari’s golden boy, but even he had his share of difficulties in reaching the top of F1. Before he got into the F1 grid with Sauber, he was rejected by Haas in 2016  because he couldn’t impress the team’s bosses.

A YouTube video put up by The Race reveals that Leclerc “simply wasn’t that fast,” as per Haas. Current Team Principal of the American outfit Ayao Komatsu has now explained why his side rejected the Monegasque driver back then.

Komatsu felt that Leclerc was “conservative” during his four FP1 sessions with the Kannapolis-based team. His best result in practice came in the form of a P16 finish in Hungary. Leclerc also didn’t “catch the eye” quite as well as current star Oliver Bearman has.

Back in 2016 when a fresh-faced Monégasque drove in his first F1 session at the #BritishGP

Wonder what he’s up to now? #HaasF1 @Charles_Leclerc pic.twitter.com/PmvqfqNak4

— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) July 3, 2024

At the same time, Komatsu felt that Haas itself was unprepared to judge Leclerc perfectly. Having entered F1 that year itself.

Leclerc, on the other hand, went on to drive FP1 sessions for Sauber in 2017. After winning the F2 Championship that year, he joined the Hinwil-based outfit as its driver in 2018.

Leclerc is seen as a future World Champion

Leclerc came into F1 with huge reputation. During his karting days, he frequently dueled against present three-time World Champion Max Verstappen. And the Dutchman would admit that Leclerc was the only one to get near him.

After spending a year at Sauber in 2018, Leclerc joined Ferrari and since then, has been seen as the man who will bring Championship glory back to Maranello. So far, however, things haven’t quite gone his way.

Ferrari has failed to field a car that can consistently fight for wins, which is why the 26-year-old has been limited to just six F1 wins to date. However, Ferrari and Leclerc both, have hope that their partnership will be successful. This is why he signed a long-term contract with the team ahead of the 2024 season.

Next year, a new challenge also awaits Leclerc. Seven-time Champion Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari, and Leclerc will have the opportunity to learn from and also defeat him. Hamilton too, joined Ferrari because he believes in the team’s chances of winning the Championship soon. Leclerc will be hoping that is the case heading into the coming seasons.