The new engine regulations may not be due to arrive in Formula One until 2021 but next season already promises to be like nothing before thanks to the driver shake-up over the last few months.
At just 21 years old, Charles Leclerc is one of the most exciting talents on the grid and in the same car as Sebastian Vettel he stands an excellent chance of mixing it up with the two frontrunners. In the last three years, the Monegasque has won the GP3 and Formula Two championships and secured only Sauber’s second top-six finish since 2013. He undoubtedly has the talent and the wise head to go with it, but he is also fuelled by emotion.
German automobile magazine based in Hamburg ‘Autobild’ informs that Charles Leclerc’s race engineer will be Jock Clear next year. On the other hand Jock Clear‘s previous position at the Italian side will be taken by Laurent Mekies, the former FIA safety and deputy race director from Formula 1’s governing body who stepped down from his F1 responsibilities in order to join the Maranello team.
Jock Clear started out in design engineering for motorsport teams but quickly found his calling as a race engineer – sitting on the pit wall for the likes of Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. He has worked for many teams up and down the Formula 1 paddock but was most loyal to the BAR/Honda/Brawn/Mercedes outfit. At the end of 2014, however, he moved across to Ferrari to become head of race activities. Jock gives a unique insight into what makes a winning high performance team. He delivers a fascinating insight into the psychology of success and how to get the best out of top tier talent. Charles Leclerc has worked his way up through the ranks and Scuderia Ferrari’s technical boss Jock Clear could be the ideal person to help the talented Monegasque driver adapt to the high expectations and maximize his potential with the Maranello team.
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