In a recent interview for corriere.it, Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc discussed his approach to Formula 1, his future with the Maranello team and many aspects of his life outside the track:
In Charles Leclerc won a memorable Italian GP two years ago; he called his boat “Monza”. It is the place in the heart of every Ferrari fan and from Charles many expect miracles.
Charles Leclerc: “I think it will be a difficult weekend given the characteristics of the track in relation to our car. But we had more than one surprise this year where we didn’t expect to be so competitive. We will give everything, from the first to the last kilometer, with the hope of giving the fans something to be happy about, even if on paper this is not the best circuit for Ferrari “
It is the year of the Hamilton-Verstappen duel. Which of the two do you dislike the least?
Charles Leclerc: “Honestly, I don’t have anything against one or the other. I disliked Max when we were younger and fought against each other with karts or small single-seaters, while Lewis, at that time, was already racing in F1. Now they are only two drivers that I would like to reach by driving my car.”
How many times do you repeat to yourself: I am the strongest?
Charles Leclerc: “I’m not a person who aims to compare myself to others and therefore I don’t think such a thing very often. I prefer to focus on what I can and must do. I know what my weaknesses are and I’m working on them all the time, every time I make a mistake I dedicate a lot of time to analysis and reflection, I try to understand exactly where issues come from. Then, like many other drivers, I am convinced that I have the potential to do even better. So, I want to work hard to bring out the best version of myself ».
To aim for the world title with Ferrari, you have to wait until 2022. Does trust always prevail over frustration?
“All time. We are aware that we have taken a step back after 2019 but from that moment on we have always worked in the right direction, albeit in small steps, due in particular to the technical regulations. This makes me confident about the future. We have been improving for some time and there are no reasons to think about reversing the trend by moving towards 2022. I believe in the Ferrari project, I have never doubted, never lost enthusiasm”.
Smart, elegant, gifted. What do you find when you think about your flaws?
“Sometimes I let myself go, the desire to do better leads me to make a mistake. It is a flaw that has been seen, I think. In the most difficult moments I tried to come up with something special, different from any other driver, to risk something that others cannot do. But there is one thing I want to say: I have always learned from making a wrong evaluation. The price is also high because you are an F1 and Ferrari driver, but it is part of the game. Taking an extreme risk by trying to earn a few tenths means you may be doing the opposite, losing ground instead of progressing. But I am convinced that within this ecuation, a driver must seek perfection”.
Does running in conditions of technical inferiority inevitably involve taking risks at the cost of making a mistake?
“Yes, it is a question of mental approach. When you are fighting in the middle of the group you have to behave differently than when it comes to facing a challenge with a world title at stake”.
You often play chess with your teammate Carlos Sainz. Who is stronger?
“Arriving here this morning, Carlos has beaten me twice and for that I am really angry. But I am the one who wins much more often. So the answer is: I am stronger ».
The feeling is that among you drivers there is respect but not friendship. Is there a colleague with whom you would gladly go on vacation?
“The lack of friendship is something I’ve seen the most in the past, the generation before mine was made up of people who were very little connected to each other. Now the situation is very different. I get along well with the guys I run against. With Verstappen or with Lando Norris … But if I have to choose a friend, I would say Pierre Gasly. We’ve known each other since we were six, we ran and went on vacation together, the bond is particularly strong ».
However, the anti-racism demonstration before the start seems to be the only moment of true cohesion between you. To what extent is it authentic?
“There is a reason that goes beyond any interpretation. It is a significant and important act, especially for the young. I always think that a child or a boy, in the stands or in front of the TV, can ask his parents why they are behaving and receive answers that focus on a fundamental theme. Something that perhaps generates other questions, an awareness of what surrounds them and surrounds each of us ».
Many fans have a dream: Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, drivers Charles Leclerc and Valentino Rossi. Is it possible?
“Ah, well, nothing is impossible even if honestly there has never been a discussion on this topic, it’s really too early to think about it. I would like to race in Le Mans. I think Mattia (Binotto ed) wants to keep an absolute priority on the Formula 1 program but we will talk about this if anything when there are the conditions to do so”.
Art and photography. Are these your passions?
“Yes. Plus the art of photography even though I like to take pictures everywhere. And music more than art. For me it is a pleasure to play the piano. It is good for me, I can think of other things, of everything that is not part of motoring “.
The tension before the start is always palpable. How do you manage emotionality?
«It is a specific job, an attitude that I developed especially between the ages of 12 and 16 with the specialists of Formula Medicine, an Italian center that deals with the psychophysical preparation of drivers. It is necessary to identify the mental form that allows you to give two hundred percent. Once identified, some sort of procedure applies. I do it constantly, when I am too nervous or too calm and in this way I can refocus myself, regaining possession of that area, let’s say, that allows me to perform at my best. I get active, alert my reflexes, practice a particular breathing”
Ever safer cars. Yet you have lost two friends in a few years, Jules Bianchi and Anthoine Hubert. Is it true that a driver should never be afraid?
«I speak for myself. And I say that I am never afraid when I drive. If you thought about the risk I run when facing a corner, well, better go home. This does not prevent serious accidents from happening and we can lose a loved one but this cannot interfere with a profound attitude, questioning the love I have for this sport. When I get in the car I just want to be the fastest on the track ».
You are loved, happily engaged. In addition to winning the title, do you have a secret desire to be fulfilled?
“Definitely start a family. It is not an immediate but present goal because the family is the most important thing in life. Then, with my brothers, I would like to climb. I dream of Everest but it is a bit too high as a first test also because at the moment I am not an expert on the subject at all. So we would like to start with Mont Blanc, and then tackle higher mountains. It is a challenge that attracts me, different from the ones I usually meet. Unlike a machine, nature is not controllable and it is beautiful that it is so ».
You lost your father very young. Who is the most important person when you need good advice?
«If it is a work-related problem, I turn to Nicolas Todt, my manager. The first reference is still Lorenzo, my older brother. He knows me and he knows the racing world. I talk to him, to Arthur, my little brother, and to my mother. The family, as I said, is always fundamental ».
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