Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc took was interviewed by the media in Monte Carlo one day before track action begins in view of the Monaco Grand Prix. Here are some of Charles’ most important statements.
You talk about risks. Don’t you think you’re taking a few too many given the number of mistakes we’ve seen you make this season?
Charles Leclerc: “To be honest, I don’t think so. Risk is part of my job. I’m a driver. I have to go for the limit. Unfortunately, I’m very honest with myself too and I’m not afraid to talk about my mistakes, to verbalise them. This probably causes me a bit of harm because when I look at my mistakes, they are not so terrible. I made them and I’m not looking for an excuse, don’t get me wrong. The one at the end of the qualifying session in Baku has no consequences. We restarted with used tyres, nobody could improve. I gave it my all and it didn’t happen. In Miami, there was the crash in FP2 where I was looking for things, I was trying. For me, it’s important to try because when qualifying comes, you have to give it your all. But I think my only real mistake was in qualifying in Miami. I’m the kind of driver who doesn’t give up on the first lap. In my second attempt, I tried to go even faster because I felt that Checo’s time was within my reach. And that’s it, I made the mistake. In my opinion, we talk a lot about the mistakes and not enough about the moments when we do great things. Frankly, the two poles in Baku, I promise you that it is something. And if I did it, it was because I took risks! Pushing the limits pays off!”
We in the media think that sometimes your engineer [Xavi] seems a bit panicked when he talks to you?
Charles Leclerc: “But you don’t know everything about how it happens. You don’t know the way he has to work. Especially last year. Yes, there have been some tricky situations in the past, but it was all about communication. Fred has changed that way of working. Last year, when he spoke to me, there could be 40 people talking into his headphones. You can understand his dismay in these conditions.”
Getting back to your friendship with Fred, how would you feel when he is alongside you when you win?
Charles Leclerc: “It would be incredible. Well, it will be incredible because we’ll do it. We’ve known each other for such a long time; we have a real complicity and we’ve won together in other categories. So to do it in F1, yes it will be incredible.”
Qualifying in Monaco is essential and you love this exercise. What have you improved since your debut in Formula 1 here in Monaco?
Charles Leclerc: “I would like to reproduce the way I built the weekend last year. Until Sunday and without the rain (pinched smile). But I also grew up, gained experience. Normally, I have to do everything a little bit better.”
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You sometimes said you were too self-critical. Fred Vasseur thinks so too. Has he ever taken you back on this point?
Charles Leclerc (smiles): “Fred repeats it to me and I’m going to try to work on that because I feel that unfortunately, it has a negative indirect effect on my image. Fred is right on this point to insist, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to completely change. I will stay completely honest with myself while maybe trying to do it in a less publicized way.”
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