In his recent interview for French daily newspaper L’Équipe, Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc revealed a discussion with team principal Mattia Binotto who shared his experience of working with seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher in Ferrari and the impact that Michael had in bringing the team back to the top:
“This winter, Mattia explained to me a few things about Michael Schumacher, how much he influenced the team and how much he pushed to improve the professionalism. You can still feel the mark he left on Ferrari. To come back to Michael Schumacher, he made us all dream. I wanted to get into F1 to become like him. And to be in the same team as him means a lot. Especially if I can win a championship like him.”
For you, Monaco is above all Schumacher when you were playing with small cars in Sainte-Dévote during the GP. Do you know the other great names?
Charles: “My idol, the only one, is Ayrton Senna and I know how special he was here. But I’m not really into the historical side.”
Monaco is very important for you. It was also for Jules. Do you remember in 2014 when Jules scored his first points here?
Charles: “Of course I do. I spoke to him on the phone on the Sunday evening because I was not in Monaco. He and his father were over the moon.”
Do you already have a Monaco chapter in your notebook?
Charles smiles: “Not yet. I’ll have it next week, once the race is over, so I’ll have it for next year.”
Your pole last year was a surprise. This year, you’re coming in as a favorite. This will surely change the way you approach the weekend?
Charles: “Of course it will. Last year, I took a lot of risks. I knew I needed a miracle to get to the front row. This time, I won’t take the same risks because I know that the points will be very important.”
Did you make the difference, as a driver, last year for this pole?
Charles: “The car was really competitive here but yes, I took a lot of risks and that’s why I finished in the wall on Saturday. I really wanted this pole.”
Without the power unit failure, you could have been the leader of the championship coming to Monaco. Does it hurt?
Charles: “Not at all, even if I would have preferred to come here as a leader. It’s just a detail at this stage of the season. As I said on Sunday, what I remember are all the improvements that the factory has made. We were behind Red Bull before Spain & I think that everything that has been fitted to the car is working, especially in terms of tyre degradation and that’s very positive!”
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How do you explain that, despite Monaco, you are so successful on street circuits?
Charles: “Because I love flirting with risk, because on these tracks you have no right to make mistakes. It gives you a lot of adrenaline. I love it. And Monaco, you know the sentimental value I attach to it. We drive on the roads I used to take by bus to go to school.”
The school bus doesn’t give you an advantage over the others…
(laughs) “Absolutely not. I don’t have any advantage on that side.”
So it’s just a sentimental value. Does it disturb you during the GP?
Charles: “Not for a second. From my first lap when I drive here, I realised that I didn’t recognise it. The perception is different because you drive faster.”
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