Charles Leclerc jokes with Oscar Piastri on social media: “I’ll adopt you!”. A playful exchange on social media between Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.

A rivalry reminiscent of the past
The 2024 season is giving motorsport fans a revival of the past with the resurgence of the on-track rivalry between Ferrari and McLaren – this time as the primary ‘anti-Red Bull’ teams – which has marked F1 history. However, the relationship between Maranello and Woking seems much less tense compared to the golden era of this rivalry. On the track, they fiercely battle, but off the track, there is respect, esteem, and almost friendship. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur celebrated Lando Norris’s victory in Miami by ‘honoring’ him with a McLaren cap; Zak Brown reciprocated in Imola – one of Ferrari’s home races – by wearing a red cap, and even among the drivers, the bonds are evident.

Back and forth on social media
The friendship between Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz – which began during their time together at McLaren – is well known, but Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri have also shown mutual affection, as confirmed by a playful exchange on social media leading up to the Monaco weekend. “I’m looking into my family tree for traces of Monegasque roots,” wrote the young Australian talent. This refers to two other tweets Oscar Piastri posted before the Shanghai and Imola rounds, where he humorously revealed he had Chinese and Italian great-grandparents, joking that these races were thus, in a small way, ‘home’ rounds for him.

An ‘adoptive’ brother
Charles Leclerc immediately replied, offering to ‘contribute’ to the cause since he and his family are natives of the Principality. “I can adopt you, if necessary,” was the Ferrari driver’s amused response. “Call me Oscar Jack Piastri-Leclerc – Piastri replied, naturally playing along – I want to meet my new brother Leo on Thursday, if he can drop by McLaren.” The final reference is to Leclerc’s and his girlfriend’s new dog – named Leo – who has already become an ‘idol’ among the Monegasque driver’s fans on social media. Friends, or rather ‘brothers’ off the track, but on the streets of the Principality, the challenge will be down to the last thousandth.