Charles Leclerc

Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc (born 16 October 1997) is a Monégasque racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari. Born in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Leclerc comes from a motorsport family—his father Hervé Leclerc was a racing driver who competed in Formula Three during the 1980s and 1990s. Tragically, Hervé passed away in 2017, just days before Charles's Formula 2 round at Baku. Jules Bianchi, who died following injuries sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, was not only a close friend and role model but also Leclerc's godfather, creating a profound connection to Formula One even before his own debut.

Leclerc's junior career was meteoric. In 2009, he became the youngest-ever winner of France's cadet karting championship. He secured the title of youngest winner of the Monaco Kart Cup in 2010, followed by the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy and the CIK-FIA World Cup in 2011, establishing himself as one of karting's brightest talents. Progressing through the junior formulae, Leclerc proved practically peerless on his way to the GP3 and Formula 2 championships, showcasing a dazzling array of skills including blistering qualifying pace, commanding race victories, and an ability to fight through the pack.

Remarkably, at the 2017 Formula 2 round at Silverstone, his car caught fire twice during the weekend, yet he still managed to score points, demonstrating exceptional mental strength and determination. Leclerc stepped up to Formula One in 2018 with Sauber (Alfa Romeo), immediately showing flashes of ballistic pace in qualifying and racing brilliance on Sundays. He regularly dragged his Sauber beyond its limits, earning himself a coveted race seat at Ferrari for 2019, replacing Kimi Räikkönen. The promotion made Leclerc one of the youngest Ferrari drivers in history and placed enormous expectations on his shoulders.

His Ferrari career began explosively in 2019 when he took seven pole positions and won his first two Grand Prix victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza, the latter particularly emotional as it came one week after the death of former Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne and at Ferrari's home circuit in front of the passionate tifosi. However, his Monaco curse continued, with multiple retirements and disappointments at his home race despite showing strong pace. Leclerc established himself as one of Formula One's elite qualifiers, regularly extracting maximum performance from his Ferrari on Saturdays. As of the 2025 São Paulo Grand Prix, Leclerc has achieved eight race wins, 10 fastest laps, and 50 podiums in Formula One, along with a record 27 pole positions without a World Drivers' Championship, the most poles for any non-champion in history.

This statistic highlights both his exceptional one-lap speed and Ferrari's struggles to convert qualifying performance into race victories and championship challenges. Leclerc's defining moment came at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix when he finally won his home race, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win the event since Louis Chiron in 1931 and the first in the Formula One World Championship era. The victory was deeply emotional for Leclerc, who had endured years of heartbreak at Monaco including crashes, mechanical failures, and strategy errors. He achieved further victories in Italy at Monza and in the United States at Austin during 2024, finishing third in the championship behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

Leclerc's rivalry with Max Verstappen, dating back to their karting days, has produced some of Formula One's most exciting wheel-to-wheel racing, particularly their intense battle at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix. His partnership with Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari from 2021-2024 proved harmonious and productive, with both drivers pushing each other while maintaining respect and friendship. For 2025, Leclerc will partner seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, creating one of the most anticipated teammate pairings in recent Formula One history.

Leclerc is contracted to remain at Ferrari until at least the end of the 2026 season, demonstrating Ferrari's commitment to building their future around the Monégasque star. As Thailand's government approved a $1.2 billion bid to bring Formula One to Bangkok, and with Monaco's future on the calendar sometimes uncertain, Leclerc has become an important ambassador for street racing and his home principality. His passionate driving style, emotional responses to both victory and defeat, and obvious love for Ferrari have made him a fan favorite worldwide.

Whether Leclerc can deliver Ferrari their first Drivers' Championship since Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 remains Formula One's compelling question, but his talent, speed, and determination ensure he will remain a championship contender for years to come.