Monégasque racing driver (born 1997) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc (French pronunciation: [ʃaʁl ləklɛʁ]; born 16 October 1997) is a Monégasque racing driver, who competes in Formula One for Ferrari. Leclerc was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2022 with Ferrari, and has won eight Grands Prix across seven seasons.
Charles Leclerc | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Leclerc at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix | |
| Born | Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc 16 October 1997 Monte Carlo, Monaco |
| Relatives |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality | Monégasque |
| 2025 team | Ferrari[1] |
| Car number | 16 |
| Entries | 149 (147 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Podiums | 43 |
| Career points | 1430 |
| Pole positions | 26 |
| Fastest laps | 10 |
| First entry | 2018 Australian Grand Prix |
| First win | 2019 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2024 United States Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix |
| 2024 position | 3rd (356 pts) |
| Previous series | |
| Championship titles | |
| Website | www |
| Signature | |
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Born and raised in Monte Carlo, Leclerc began competitive kart racing aged seven. After a successful karting career—culminating in his victory at the junior direct-drive Karting World Cup in 2011—Leclerc graduated to junior formulae. Progressing directly to Formula Renault 2.0, he finished runner-up to Nyck de Vries in the Alps Series and achieved several podium finishes in the Eurocup. Leclerc graduated to FIA European Formula 3 in 2015, winning several races as he finished fourth in his rookie season. He won his first championship at the 2016 GP3 Series with ART. Leclerc then won the inaugural FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017 with Prema, becoming the fourth driver to win the GP2/Formula 2 championship in their rookie season and breaking several records.[a]
Leclerc made his Formula One debut in 2018 with Sauber as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, scoring several points finishes in the C37. He joined Ferrari for 2019 to partner Sebastian Vettel, and became the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Leclerc took his maiden career win in Belgium, before ending Ferrari's record nine-year drought at the Italian Grand Prix, which saw him nicknamed "il Predestinato" in Italian media.[b] After winless seasons for Ferrari in 2020 and 2021, Leclerc took several victories and finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the 2022 World Drivers' Championship. Following five pole positions and six podiums in his 2023 campaign, Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2024, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win the race in 93 years; he achieved further victories in Italy and the United States as he finished third in the championship.
As of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Leclerc has achieved eight race wins, 26 pole positions, 10 fastest laps and 43 podiums in Formula One. Leclerc is contracted to remain at Ferrari until at least the end of the 2026 season.[2] Outside of motor racing, Leclerc collaborated with pianist Sofiane Pamart on the extended play Dreamers (2024), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.
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Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc was born on 16 October 1997 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.[3] Leclerc grew up as the middle child between older half-brother Lorenzo and younger brother Arthur.[4][5] His father, Hervé Leclerc, was a racing driver who competed in Formula Three in the 1980s and 1990s, whilst his mother, Pascale Leclerc, is a former hairdresser.[6] Hervé died after a long illness, aged 54, four days before Leclerc won the feature race at the 2017 Baku Formula 2 round.[7][8] Two days before his death, Leclerc lied to his father that he had signed a Formula One contract for the 2018 season; he signed with Sauber a month later.[9] His older brother, Lorenzo, was best friends with Jules Bianchi, who was Leclerc's godfather until his death in 2015. His younger brother, Arthur, is also a racing driver who has competed in open-wheel and sportscar racing, winning the Formula Regional Asian Championship in 2022.[10]
Leclerc is trilingual, fluent in French, Italian, and English.[11] Although the French pronunciation of his name uses silent final consonants, he has stated that when speaking English he often uses the Anglicised pronunciation. He has said he "likes both", and that others using either pronunciation is acceptable to him.[12] Leclerc has described his religious stance as "[believing] in God, but [not someone] who would pray or go to church".[13]
Since 2023, Leclerc has been in a relationship with model and influencer Alexandra Saint Mleux.[14][15]
Leclerc began his karting career in 2005, winning the French PACA Championship in 2005, 2006, and 2008.[16] In 2009 he became French Cadet champion before moving up to the KF3 class in 2010, where he won the Junior Monaco Kart Cup.[17]
He continued in the KF3 class for 2011, winning the CIK-FIA KF3 World Cup, the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy and the ERDF Junior Kart Masters.[18] During the year, Leclerc also became a member of Nicolas Todt's All Road Management company.[19] Leclerc graduated to the KF2 category in 2012 with the factory-backed ART Grand Prix team, winning the WSK Euro Series title,[20] as well as finishing runner-up in the CIK-FIA European KF2 Championship and the CIK-FIA Under 18 World Karting Championship.[21] In his final year of karting in 2013, Leclerc won the South Garda Winter Cup and claimed sixth position in the CIK-FIA European KZ Championship and finished second in the CIK-FIA World KZ Championship, behind current Red Bull Formula One driver Max Verstappen.[22]
In 2014, Leclerc graduated to single-seaters, racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps championship for British team Fortec Motorsports.[23] During the season, he took seven podium positions, including a double victory at Monza,[24] to finish runner-up in the championship behind Koiranen GP's Nyck de Vries.[25] Leclerc also won the Junior Championship title at the final race of the season in Jerez, finishing ahead of teenager Matevos Isaakyan.[26]
Leclerc also took part in a partial Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season with Fortec as a guest driver. In the six races he contested he finished on the podium three times, taking a second place at the Nürburgring followed by a pair of second-place finishes at the Hungaroring.[27]
Leclerc graduated to Formula Three in 2015, racing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing.[28] At the opening round of the season in Silverstone, Leclerc inherited pole position for the second and third races of the weekend after original pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist was excluded for a technical infringement.[29] He went on to take his first race victory in the third race of the weekend, ahead of Antonio Giovinazzi and Jake Dennis.[30] He took his second victory at the following round in Hockenheim, winning the third race as well as taking two additional podiums and three rookie victories over the course of the event.[31] Leclerc scored his third win in the first race at Spa-Francorchamps which saw him take the lead in the championship. However, Leclerc finished fourth in the standings, mostly due to damage sustained to his car's chassis following a collision with Lance Stroll at Zandvoort.[citation needed]
Following his GP3 campaign, Leclerc entered the Macau Grand Prix with Van Amersfoort.[32] After qualifying third,[33] Leclerc finished second to Felix Rosenqvist in the qualification race after a penalty for Antonio Giovinazzi, which set the grid for the main race.[34][35] Leclerc again finished second to Rosenqvist in the Grand Prix, following a race-long battle.[36][37]
In December 2015, Leclerc partook in post-season testing with ART Grand Prix and Arden International. In February 2016, de Vries confirmed that Leclerc would race in the 2016 GP3 season.[38] ART signed Leclerc the following week. With the team, he claimed three victories and took the title in his first year of the series, despite crashing out in the feature race of the season's final race in Abu Dhabi.[39]
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Following his GP3 title victory, Leclerc progressed to FIA Formula 2 with Prema for its inaugural 2017 season, alongside fellow Ferrari Driver Academy member Antonio Fuoco.[40] Debuting at Sakhir, Leclerc took pole position for the feature race, where he finished third.[41] In the reverse-grid sprint race,[c] he opted for a mid-race pit stop—an uncommon practise in sprints—after creating a nine-second lead; Leclerc proceeded to overtake 13 drivers in nine laps to secure his maiden F2 victory.[43][44] He took pole again in Barcelona, holding off Luca Ghiotto to win his first feature amidst a radio issue, before finishing fourth in the sprint.[45][46] Leclerc retired from both races at his home round in Monte Carlo after qualifying on pole, suffering suspension failure in the feature and collision damage with Norman Nato in the sprint.[47][48] Whilst retaining his championship lead, he described the weekend as "hugely disappointing".[49] Leclerc dedicated his pole in Baku to his recently-deceased father Hervé,[8] before converting it to victory in the feature and second-place in the sprint, losing the win to Nato at the latter following a 10-second time penalty for ignoring yellow flags.[50][51] He won the Spielberg feature from pole, holding off teammate Fuoco and the DAMS of Nicholas Latifi.[52] Leclerc collided with the former in the sprint, reducing his championship lead over Oliver Rowland to 49 points midway through the season.[53]
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Leclerc achieved a record-equalling sixth consecutive pole at Silverstone,[d] winning the feature amidst multiple reliability issues, including his brakes and exhaust setting on fire.[56][57] He was disqualified from pole in Budapest for a technical infringement,[58] finishing fourth in the feature and sprint after starting the former in last-place, albeit behind title rival Rowland in both.[59][60] Leclerc returned to pole at Spa-Francorchamps,[61] but was disqualified from his 25-second winning margin in the feature due to excessive skid block wear.[62][63] Leclerc recovered to fifth after starting nineteenth in the sprint.[64] Whilst battling for the lead of the Monza feature with Nyck de Vries, the pair collided on the final lap following a late-race safety car, condemning both drivers to finish outside the points.[65][66] With a 59-point margin over Rowland heading into the penultimate round at Jerez, Leclerc required pole position and victory to clinch the title in the feature;[67] after achieving his eighth pole of the season,[68] he held off a late charge by Rowland to become the then-youngest GP2/Formula 2 champion—aged 19 years, 356 days—as well as the third rookie champion after Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hülkenberg.[69][70][71] At the season-ending Yas Island round, Leclerc inherited second-place in the feature after disqualifications for Rowland and teammate Fuoco.[72] Starting seventh for the sprint, he overtook Alexander Albon on the final lap to secure his record-equalling seventh victory of the season.[73][74][75] Leclerc was named FIA Rookie of the Year for his efforts in 2017,[76] achieving seven wins from 10 podiums and eight pole positions, finishing 72 points ahead of eventual runner-up Artem Markelov.[77]
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In 2016, Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy and was signed as a development driver for Haas and Ferrari.[78] As part of his role at Haas, Leclerc participated in the first free practice sessions of the British, Hungarian, German and Brazilian Grands Prix.[79][80][81] After impressing Ferrari at the former, he completed his first test for the team at Silverstone in the SF16-H.[82] He was initially rumoured to graduate direct to Formula One with Haas after winning the 2016 GP3 Series;[83] team principal Guenther Steiner denied the rumours and stated that Leclerc would instead progress to FIA Formula 2.[84]
Leclerc took part in the 2017 mid-season test at the Hungaroring with Ferrari—driving the SF70H—completing 98 laps and setting the fastest lap of the first day.[85][86] Kimi Räikkönen praised his performance, stating "it's not easy to do well in a different car from what you normally drive", adding that "for sure he will do great things in the future".[87] Leclerc completed further free practice sessions with Sauber at the Malaysian, United States, Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix, after signing with the team for 2018.[88]
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Leclerc signed for Sauber in 2018 as a full-time driver, replacing Pascal Wehrlein to partner Marcus Ericsson.[89][90] With his debut at the Australian Grand Prix, Leclerc became the first Monégasque driver to compete in Formula One since Olivier Beretta in 1994.[e] He qualified eighteenth and finished thirteenth on debut.[93] After non-scoring finishes in Bahrain and China,[94][95] a sixth-placed finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw him become the first Monégasque driver to score points in Formula One since Louis Chiron in 1950.[96] He scored another point by finishing tenth at the Spanish Grand Prix.[97] At his first home Grand Prix in Monaco, Leclerc suffered a brake failure in the closing laps, colliding with the diffuser of Brendon Hartley into the Nouvelle Chicane and forcing his first career retirement.[98][99] Three consecutive points finishes followed in Canada, France and Austria,[100] before going five races without points.[101] This run included three retirements: a loose wheel in Britain, suspension damage after colliding with Sergio Pérez in Hungary, and a multi-car collision in Belgium.[102][103][104] Leclerc credited the halo device with saving him from severe injury during the latter, stating that he "was very happy to have it over [his] head".[105][106] Further points finishes came with ninth- and seventh-place at the Singapore and Russian Grands Prix, respectively,[107] before retirements from a mechanical failure in Japan and damage from a collision with Romain Grosjean in the United States.[108][109] Leclerc closed his rookie season with three consecutive seventh-placed finishes in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.[110][111][112] Leclerc finished thirteenth in the World Drivers' Championship, with 39 points to teammate Ericsson's nine,[113][114] and was again named FIA Rookie of the Year.[115]
Leclerc signed for Ferrari in 2019, swapping seats with Kimi Räikkönen to partner four-time World Drivers' Champion Sebastian Vettel.[116][117] Then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene stated that his contract would run until 2022.[118] Leclerc entered the 2018 post-season test with Ferrari at Yas Marina, setting the fastest time in the SF71H.[119] He debuted for the team at the Australian Grand Prix, qualifying and finishing fifth.[120][121] At the following round in Bahrain, Leclerc took his maiden pole position to become the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history.[122][123] He led the majority of the race before losing the lead with 10 laps remaining amidst an engine issue, overtaken by both Mercedes drivers;[124][125] he finished third after a late-race safety car, securing his maiden podium finish.[126] Leclerc overtook Vettel for third at the start of the Chinese Grand Prix, before being ordered to let him pass and ultimately finishing fifth.[127] In Azerbaijan, Leclerc crashed out of the second qualifying session, forcing him to start eighth; he finished the race in fifth.[128] He again finished fifth at the Spanish Grand Prix amidst another team orders row.[129] At his first Monaco Grand Prix with Ferrari, he started fifteenth following a strategic error from the team in the first qualifying session.[130] He suffered a tyre puncture and floor damage after an overtake attempt on Nico Hülkenberg, leading to his second retirement at his home race.[131] Leclerc qualified and finished third at both the Canadian and French Grands Prix.[132][133] He took pole at the Austrian Grand Prix,[134] finishing second to Max Verstappen after his overtake on the antepenultimate lap, during which they made contact—the stewards' investigation deemed it a racing incident.[135][136] Leclerc claimed his move was "not the way you overtake".[137] At the British Grand Prix, he qualified third, ahead of Verstappen.[138] The pair engaged in a close battle throughout the race, with Leclerc finishing ahead in third to secure his fourth consecutive podium.[139] He qualified in tenth-place at the German Grand Prix amidst a fuel system issue.[140] In the rain-affected race, he climbed to fourth in the early laps before being called in for dry tyres too early, causing him to lose traction and retire from the race after colliding with the barriers.[141][142] In Hungary, Leclerc qualified fourth after suffering rear-end damage,[143] ultimately finishing in the same position.[144]
Leclerc took pole for the Belgian Grand Prix,[145] fending off Lewis Hamilton to secure his maiden victory.[146] Aged 21 years and 320 days, Leclerc became the third-youngest Formula One Grand Prix winner,[147] as well as the first Monégasque.[148] He dedicated his victory to Anthoine Hubert, who was killed the day prior during the FIA Formula 2 support race.[149] Leclerc then won the Italian Grand Prix—the home Grand Prix of Ferrari—from pole position after defending the lead from both Mercedes drivers to become the first Ferrari winner at Monza since Fernando Alonso in 2010;[150] his victories saw him nicknamed il Predestinato (lit. 'the Predestined') in Italian media.[f] He took pole again in Singapore and finished second after being undercut by teammate Vettel,[156] promoting him to third in the championship, level with Verstappen.[157] Leclerc described the strategy as "unfair", to which team principal Mattia Binotto responded that Vettel was allowed to pit first to defend position from Verstappen, adding that they considered re-swapping the positions.[158] In Russia, Leclerc took his fourth consecutive pole position and finished third, after a virtual safety car saw both Mercedes drivers pass Leclerc with shortened pit stops.[159][160] He qualified second at the Japanese Grand Prix,[161] but took damage in a first-lap collision with Verstappen after understeering into his sidepod;[162] he finished sixth.[163] Leclerc finished fourth at the Mexican and United States Grands Prix,[164][165] inheriting pole at the former after a grid penalty for Verstappen.[166] A controversial collision with teammate Vettel caused both drivers to retire from the Brazilian Grand Prix,[167] with Leclerc dropping below Verstappen in the standings.[168] Both were reprimanded by Binotto, who stated they "should be sorry for the team".[169] Leclerc finished the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in third-place,[170] clinching fourth in the World Drivers' Championship with 264 points, 24 ahead of teammate Vettel in fifth.[171][172] In addition to winning the FIA Pole Trophy with seven pole positions,[173] he recorded two victories from 10 podium finishes.[174] He was awarded the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy for his efforts in 2019,[175] and extended his Ferrari contract until the end of the 2024 season.[176][177]
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The 2020 season was delayed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[178] Ferrari struggled for performance with the SF1000,[179][180][181] with Leclerc qualifying seventh for the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.[182] He recovered to third-place in the race via several overtakes following the final safety car, promoted to second after a penalty for Lewis Hamilton.[183][184] In the build-up to the Styrian Grand Prix, Leclerc was investigated by the FIA for allegedly breaching COVID-19 safety protocols whilst returning home to Monte Carlo with permission from Ferrari;[185] both Leclerc and Ferrari were given a warning for the incident.[186][187] In Styria, Leclerc collided with teammate Sebastian Vettel on the first lap, causing them both to retire.[188] Leclerc took full responsibility for the collision.[189] After finishing eleventh at the Hungarian Grand Prix,[190] Leclerc secured another podium at the British Grand Prix following a late puncture for Valtteri Bottas.[191][192] Prior to the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Leclerc faced allegations of racism for opting to not take the knee during pre-race ceremonies;[193] he responded by stating that racism is "disgusting" and accusing media outlets of manipulating his words, adding that he wanted to avoid promoting violent protest.[194][195] He successfully completed a one-stop tyre strategy in the race, finishing fourth after qualifying eighth, stating that it "[felt] like victory".[196][197] Leclerc suffered reliability issues at the Spanish and Belgian Grands Prix, retiring from the former and finishing fourteenth at the latter.[198][199] At the Italian Grand Prix, he qualified thirteenth before colliding with a tyre barrier at the Curva Parabolica and causing a red flag whilst running in fourth.[200][201][202] He then finished seven consecutive races in the points from Tuscany to Bahrain,[203] with top-five finishes at the Portuguese, Emilia Romagna and Turkish Grands Prix;[204][205] at the latter, Leclerc lost a podium finish during a last-lap overtake attempt on Sergio Pérez for second,[206][207] having qualified for the rain-affected race in fourteenth.[208] He retired from the Sakhir Grand Prix after a first-lap collision with Pérez—for which he was given a three-place grid penalty—having qualified fourth.[209][210] Ferrari struggled for pace at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Leclerc finishing thirteenth.[211] He ended the season eighth in the standings with two podiums and 98 points, 65 ahead of teammate Vettel in thirteenth,[211] as Ferrari finished sixth in the World Constructors' Championship—their lowest since 1980.[212][213]
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Leclerc was partnered by Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari for his 2021 campaign.[214] He started the Bahrain Grand Prix in fourth and finished sixth.[215] He then finished fourth at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix amidst a radio issue.[216][217] His sixth-placed finish in Portugal dropped him to fifth in the standings,[218][219] before he finished fourth again in Spain.[220][221] Leclerc secured a surprise pole position at his home Grand Prix in Monaco—his first since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix—after colliding with the barrier at La Piscine in the final part of qualifying,[222][223] but was unable to start the race due to a related drive shaft issue.[224] He qualified on pole again at the next round in Azerbaijan,[225] before finishing fourth.[226] Tyre wear struggles at the French Grand Prix saw him finish sixteenth after taking an additional pit stop.[227][228] He then finished seventh and eighth at the Styrian and Austrian Grands Prix, respectively.[229][230] At the British Grand Prix, Leclerc qualified fourth before inheriting the lead on the first lap: he overtook Bottas off-the-line before passing both Max Verstappen and Hamilton after their collision.[231] He held the lead until the antepenultimate lap—when Hamilton passed him—finishing in second-place to claim his sole podium of the season.[232] Leclerc retired from the rain-affected Hungarian Grand Prix after a first-lap collision with Lance Stroll,[233] demoting him to seventh in the championship, below teammate Sainz.[234] He finished eighth at the curtailed Belgian Grand Prix,[235] and fifth in the Netherlands.[236] In Italy, Leclerc finished fourth after a penalty for Pérez.[237] He took grid penalties for the Russian Grand Prix, forcing him to start nineteenth; after climbing to third,[238] he was the last to pit for intermediate tyres in changing conditions, demoting him to fifteenth.[239] Leclerc finished fourth at both the Turkish and United States Grands Prix, leading several laps at the former,[240][241] before finishing fifth in Mexico City and São Paulo.[242][243] After scoring points in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Leclerc moved up to fifth in the championship,[244][245] four points ahead of Lando Norris and 8.5 ahead of Sainz with one round remaining.[246] At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a pit stop gamble under the virtual safety car saw Leclerc lose track position, ultimately finishing in tenth;[247] this result saw both Sainz and Norris surpass his points tally, with Leclerc finishing seventh in the World Drivers' Championship on 159 points.[248] This marked the first time Leclerc had been outscored by a teammate in his formula racing career.[249]
New regulations utilising ground effect saw Ferrari challenge Red Bull in the first half of 2022.[citation needed] Leclerc qualified on pole position for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix,[250] before winning the race amidst a close battle with Max Verstappen, marking his and Ferrari's first victory since 2019.[251] The result saw him lead the World Drivers' Championship for the first time, becoming the first Monégasque driver to do so.[252] After finishing second to Verstappen in another close-fought battle in Saudi Arabia, Leclerc took a dominant victory from pole at the Australian Grand Prix, achieving his maiden grand slam in Formula One and extending his championship lead to 34 points over George Russell, 46 ahead of Verstappen in sixth.[253][254] Following another battle with Verstappen in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint, Leclerc spun at the Variante Alta chicane whilst chasing Sergio Pérez for second-place in the main race, demoting him to sixth and reducing his advantage over Verstappen to 26 points.[citation needed] He finished second to Verstappen after starting on pole at the Miami Grand Prix.[citation needed] In Spain, Leclerc took pole again and led the race with a 13-second margin until a power unit failure forced his retirement,[255] handing Verstappen the victory and championship lead.[citation needed] After taking another pole at the Monaco Grand Prix, Leclerc finished fourth due to a strategical error in wet-weather conditions.[256] He took his fourth-successive pole at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he again retired from the lead with a power unit issue, placing him third in the standings behind Pérez.[257] Leclerc started nineteenth for the Canadian Grand Prix due to an engine grid penalty; he recovered to fifth.[258]
At the British Grand Prix, Leclerc finished fourth after losing out on a free pit stop under the safety car to his teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr.[259] He then took victory at the Austrian Grand Prix after a battle with Verstappen, returning to second in the standings halfway through the season.[260] Leclerc started on pole in France before spinning out of the lead on lap 18 and colliding with a barrier.[261] At the Hungarian Grand Prix, he qualified third and finished sixth after another strategic error by Ferrari put him on underperforming hard-compound tyres;[262] Verstappen won the race and extended his advantage over Leclerc to 80 points going into the summer break.[citation needed] Leclerc started fifteenth following a grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix,[263] where he recovered to fifth, demoted to sixth after a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane.[264] Prior to the Dutch Grand Prix, he admitted that he had "stopped counting" his points deficit to Verstappen.[265] He took five consecutive podiums from there until the United States Grand Prix,[citation needed] including second-placed finishes from pole in Italy and Singapore;[citation needed][266] Verstappen clinched the title in Japan.[citation needed] Leclerc finished sixth and fourth at the Mexico City and São Paulo Grands Prix, respectively,[citation needed][citation needed] leaving him tied-second in the championship with Pérez on 290 points going into the final round.[citation needed] Leclerc qualified third for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix behind Pérez, before overtaking him with a one-stop strategy and clinching second in the World Drivers' Championship.[citation needed] He totalled 308 points throughout the season, 146 behind Verstappen and 62 ahead of teammate Sainz in fifth.[citation needed] He led the field with nine pole positions,[citation needed] and further achieved three victories, three fastest laps, and 11 podiums.[citation needed]
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Ferrari struggled for consistent race pace and tyre wear throughout the early stages of 2023, as Red Bull cemented their advantage from the previous year.[267] Leclerc qualified third for the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he remained for the majority of the race before retiring with a technical issue.[268] He subsequently took a grid penalty in Saudi Arabia, recovering to seventh after starting twelfth with a ten-position drop.[269] Leclerc retired from the Australian Grand Prix following a first-lap collision with Lance Stroll.[270] Leclerc then qualified on pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, finishing second in the sprint and third in the main race.[271] After crashing out of qualifying in Miami,[citation needed] he started and finished seventh.[citation needed] He improved to sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix after receiving a three-place grid drop for impeding Lando Norris in qualifying.[citation needed] In Spain, he qualified nineteenth and started the race from the pit lane—describing the SF-23 as "undriveable"; he finished the race eleventh.[272][citation needed] Leclerc recovered from tenth to fourth in Canada after a pit stop gamble under the safety car.[citation needed] He qualified on the front-row for the Austrian Grand Prix, leading briefly before being overtaken by Max Verstappen for the win.[citation needed] He finished ninth and seventh at the British and Hungarian Grands Prix, respectively, amidst issues with tyre degradation and strategy.[273][274] Leclerc achieved another pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix after a grid penalty for Verstappen;[citation needed] he finished third.[citation needed] After retiring from the rain-affected Dutch Grand Prix with damage,[275] Leclerc finished fourth at the following three races in Italy, Singapore and Japan.[citation needed][citation needed][citation needed] He then finished fifth in Qatar.[citation needed] He returned to pole at the United States Grand Prix and finished second in the sprint.[citation needed] He fell to sixth in the main race before being disqualified for excessive skid block wear, alongside Lewis Hamilton.[276] Leclerc again qualified on pole in Mexico City,[citation needed] finishing third after a first-corner collision with Sergio Pérez.[citation needed] He qualified on the front-row for the São Paulo Grand Prix,[citation needed] before crashing out of the formation lap amidst a hydraulics issue at Ferradura.[277] He qualified on pole again for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix,[citation needed] where he was involved in a three-way battle for the lead with Verstappen and Pérez.[citation needed] Leclerc finished second after overtaking the latter on the final lap,[citation needed] which later won him the Overtake Award.[citation needed] He finished second again in Abu Dhabi,[citation needed] elevating him to fifth in the World Drivers' Championship on 206 points, level with Fernando Alonso in fourth,[g] and six ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. in seventh.[citation needed][278] Leclerc achieved five pole positions and six podiums throughout the season.[citation needed]
Ahead of the 2024 season, Leclerc opted to extend his contract with Ferrari beyond the 2026 regulation changes.[2][279] Red Bull remained the front-runners going into the season-opener,[citation needed] where Leclerc vowed he would do "absolutely everything" to contend;[280] he qualified on the front-row,[citation needed] and finished fourth amidst brake issues.[281] He improved to third at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix,[citation needed] before completing a Ferrari 1–2 finish in Australia—their first since the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix—as he finished second to Sainz. After finishing fourth at both the Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix,[citation needed][citation needed] Leclerc secured third-placed finishes in Miami and Emilia Romagna, as well as second in the former sprint race.[282][283][citation needed] Leclerc then won the Monaco Grand Prix—his home race—for the first time in his career, having started on pole position.[citation needed][citation needed] He became the first Monégasque driver to win the event since Louis Chiron in 1931,[citation needed] and the first in the Formula One World Championship.[284] Leclerc retired from the Canadian Grand Prix with power unit issues.[285] After placing fifth at the Spanish Grand Prix,[citation needed] he finished outside of the points in Austria and Britain due to collision damage and strategy errors,[citation needed][citation needed] dropping him from second to third in the standings behind Norris.[citation needed] He then finished fourth in Hungary.[citation needed] Leclerc again qualified on pole at the Belgian Grand Prix after a grid drop for Verstappen,[286] finishing third after a disqualification for George Russell.[citation needed] Another third-place followed at the Dutch Grand Prix.[citation needed][287] Leclerc received widespread acclaim for his surprise victory at the Italian Grand Prix,[citation needed] completing a one-stop strategy to secure Ferrari's first home win since 2019.[288] Leclerc qualified first at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix—his fourth consecutive pole at the event—and finished second after a race-long battle with Oscar Piastri.[citation needed][289] He finished fifth in Singapore,[citation needed] before taking his third victory of the season at the United States Grand Prix.[citation needed] He then finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix.[citation needed] After a podium in the São Paulo sprint,[citation needed] he finished fifth in the rain-affected main race amidst car performance concerns and a strategy error.[290] Following a fourth-placed finish in Las Vegas,[citation needed] Leclerc completed the season with podiums at the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.[citation needed][citation needed] He finished the season third in the championship on 356 points—81 behind champion Verstappen, 18 behind Norris, and 66 ahead of teammate Sainz in fifth;[citation needed] he outscored the rest of the field from the summer break onwards.[291]
Leclerc will be partnered by seven-time World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton in 2025.[292]
As a driver, you always have the confidence you are the fastest and I do have that whenever I go for a qualifying lap.
It's all about that mindset and putting that lap together in qualifying when it is needed and the pressure is super-high. This is an exercise I have always loved.
I've always said I drive a lot with intuition, I work a lot, of course. But that is where one of my strengths is—that I feel things very, very quickly.
Leclerc has a strong qualifying history in Formula One, where he holds the record for most pole positions without a World Championship (26).[294] He also holds the record in FIA Formula 2 for most pole positions in a season (8).[54][68] His driving style tends to favour a car with oversteer, allowing for precise micro-corrections and high cornering speeds, which has aided his qualifying pace.[295] He became the youngest recipient of the FIA Pole Trophy in 2019 for achieving the most pole positions,[296] a feat he repeated in 2022.[297] Critics have noted his ability to outperform his machinery in qualifying conditions, which has frequently led to his one-lap pace relatively surpassing his race pace.[298][299] Andrew Benson of BBC Sport described his pole lap at the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix as "one of the qualifying performances of the season".[300] A study by Amazon Web Services in 2020 listed Leclerc as the seventh-fastest Formula One driver of all time.[301] After his back-to-back poles at the Monaco and Azerbaijan Grands Prix in 2021, then-teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. proclaimed Leclerc as the best qualifier in Formula One.[302] Edd Straw of The Race commented that "if you’re talking about a driver who can consistently wring the neck of a car regardless of its limitations and successfully live on the edge in a livewire qualifying lap then you need to look no further than [Leclerc]", and that "his willingness to be on or even slightly over the limit, mitigated by his outstanding car control when things do get untidy, allows him to drag stunning lap times even out of cars that aren’t handling well."[302] Laurence Edmondson of ESPN described his pole lap at the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix as his "latest example of his pinpoint precision and masterful speed", adding that he was "undoubtedly making a claim for the title of [Formula One]'s fastest driver over a single lap"; he praised "his ability to extract the fastest laps consistently while dealing with the pressure of a title fight".[303] Karun Chandhok has acclaimed Leclerc as the fastest qualifier of all time,[304] and Martin Brundle opined he was the fastest amongst the 2023 drivers.[305]
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Leclerc has been noted by critics for his proficiency in wheel-to-wheel racing.[306] After ceding the lead of the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix to Max Verstappen in the closing laps, Leclerc stated he would adjust his aggression going forward.[307] The following race, he beat Verstappen in a hard-fought contest for third, which Vijay Pattni of Top Gear summarised as "holy heck, what a fight. Both younglings threw their cars at each other, both refused to yield any space, and both—miracously—avoided coming together."[308] Leclerc declared it "the most fun [he'd] had in [Formula One]",[309] whilst Verstappen added "I think he was a little bit sore still from Austria so he was defending really hard, but it's fine, I'm all for that".[310] He was nicknamed il Predestinato (lit. 'the Predestined') in Italian media after defending his lead at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix from both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.[f] He was praised for his first-corner overtake on Bottas at the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix,[220] with Jonathan Noble of Motorsport.com describing the move as "sensational".[221] He received widespread acclaim for his battle with Max Verstappen at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix,[311][312] noted for his effective use of the drag reduction system.[313] He was praised by Hamilton after their battle at the 2022 British Grand Prix, where Leclerc overtook him around the outside of Copse on older tyres.[314] Alex Kalinauckas of Autosport lauded his racecraft after the 2024 season, highlighting several instances of his defensive driving against faster machinery, as well as an overtake on George Russell at the Chinese Grand Prix.[315] He has also been criticised for race-ending mistakes throughout his early seasons in Formula One, particularly at the 2020 Italian, 2022 French, and 2023 Dutch Grands Prix.[316][317][275]
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Leclerc made an appearance in the film Le Grand Rendez-vous, a remake of the 1976 French short film C'était un rendez-vous.[318][319] Leclerc voiced a character in the Italian-language dubbed version of Pixar's Toy Story spin-off film Lightyear (2022).[320]
Leclerc appeared in Charles Leclerc – Supersonique, a Canal+ documentary in November 2024, where he attempted an aeroplane stunt in a Dassault Rafale.[321][322]
In 2018, Leclerc was named Ambassador for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, helping to promote the benefits of learning to swim.[323] In 2020, Leclerc assisted the Red Cross of Monaco, delivering meals and transporting hospital equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Monaco.[324] He also supported the Italian Red Cross fundraising campaigns, encouraging donations towards its relief efforts.[325] In 2023, Leclerc auctioned off the helmet he wore at that year's Monaco Grand Prix, raising €306,000 for victims of the Emilia-Romagna floods.[326]
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In April 2023, Leclerc released his debut piano-composed single "AUS23 (1:1)", whose title is a reference to Ferrari's internal name for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. His musical endeavours are managed by Verdigris Management.[327]
In 2020, Leclerc became an endorsement model for Giorgio Armani.[328] In April 2024, Leclerc launched an eponymous ice cream brand called LEC, a reference to his three-letter code on Formula One television graphics.[329]
Monaco
Medal of Honour (2020)[335]| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Championnat de France Regional PACA — Mini Kart | 1st | |
| Coupe de France — Mini Kart | 19th | ||
| 2006 | Championnat de France Regional PACA — Mini Kart | 1st | |
| Coupe de France — Mini Kart | 11th | ||
| 2007 | Championnat de France — Minime | 22nd | |
| Championnat de France Regional PACA — Minime | 2nd | ||
| Trophée Claude Secq — Minime | 1st | ||
| 2008 | Bridgestone Cup — Minime | 5th | |
| Championnat de France — Minime | 2nd | ||
| 2009 | Trophée de France — Cadet | ||
| Coupe de France — Cadet | 4th | ||
| Championnat de France — Cadet | 1st | ||
| Bridgestone Cup — Cadet | 1st | ||
| Championnat de la Ligue Rhone Alpes — Cadet | 1st | ||
| 2010 | South Garda Winter Cup — KF3 | Maranello Kart Srl | 18th |
| WSK Euro Series — KF3 | 28th | ||
| CIK-FIA World Cup — KF3 | Sodikart | 29th | |
| CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy | 5th | ||
| Monaco Kart Cup — KF3 | 1st | ||
| Grand Prix Open Karting — KF3 | 2nd | ||
| 2011 | South Garda Winter Cup — KF3 | Sodi Racing Team | 8th |
| Grand Prix Open Karting — KF3 | 44th | ||
| Rotax Max Euro Challenge — Junior | Sodi Racing Team | 43rd | |
| WSK Euro Series — KF3 | 23rd | ||
| CIK-FIA World Cup — KF3 | Intrepid Driver Program | 1st | |
| WSK Master Series — KF3 | 15th | ||
| WSK Final Cup — KF3 | 2nd | ||
| CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy | Leclerc, Hervé | 1st | |
| ERDF Masters Kart — Junior | 1st | ||
| 2012 | South Garda Winter Cup — KF2 | 25th | |
| WSK Master Series — KF2 | ART Grand Prix | 20th | |
| Trofeo Andrea Margutti — KF2 | 7th | ||
| Grand Prix Open Karting — KF2 | 10th | ||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — KF2 | ART Grand Prix | 2nd | |
| WSK Euro Series — KF2 | 1st | ||
| CIK-FIA World Cup — KF2 | 5th | ||
| WSK Final Cup — KF2 | 5th | ||
| CIK-FIA U18 World Championship | Machac Racing | 2nd | |
| SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Senior | ART Grand Prix America | 4th | |
| 2013 | South Garda Winter Cup — KZ2 | ART Grand Prix | 1st |
| WSK Euro Series — KZ1 | 12th | ||
| CIK-FIA European Championship — KZ | 6th | ||
| WSK Master Series — KZ2 | 4th | ||
| CIK-FIA World Championship — KZ | 2nd | ||
| Sources:[336][337] | |||
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Formula Renault 2.0 Alps | Fortec Motorsports | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 199 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | NC† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | FIA Formula 3 European Championship | Van Amersfoort Racing | 33 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 363.5 | 4th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Macau Grand Prix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | GP3 Series | ART Grand Prix | 18 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 202 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Formula 2 | Prema Racing | 22 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 282 | 1st | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Formula One | Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 13th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow | 21 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 264 | 4th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 98 | 8th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 159 | 7th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari | 22 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 308 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari | 22 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 206 | 5th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Formula One | Scuderia Ferrari | 24 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 356 | 3rd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source:[338] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† As Leclerc was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | DC | Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Van Amersfoort Racing | Volkswagen | SIL 1 12 |
SIL 2 2 |
SIL 3 1 |
HOC 1 3 |
HOC 2 2 |
HOC 3 1 |
PAU 1 3 |
PAU 2 2 |
PAU 3 3 |
MNZ 1 5 |
MNZ 2 Ret |
MNZ 3 3 |
SPA 1 1 |
SPA 2 6 |
SPA 3 2 |
NOR 1 1 |
NOR 2 3 |
NOR 3 4 |
ZAN 1 5 |
ZAN 2 Ret |
ZAN 3 10 |
RBR 1 6 |
RBR 2 4 |
RBR 3 6 |
ALG 1 6 |
ALG 2 7 |
ALG 3 7 |
NÜR 1 4 |
NÜR 2 5 |
NÜR 3 5 |
HOC 1 8 |
HOC 2 10 |
HOC 3 21 |
4th | 363.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source:[citation needed] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Prema Racing | BHR FEA 3 |
BHR SPR 1 |
CAT FEA 1 |
CAT SPR 4 |
MON FEA Ret |
MON SPR 18† |
BAK FEA 1 |
BAK SPR 2 |
RBR FEA 1 |
RBR SPR Ret |
SIL FEA 1 |
SIL SPR 5 |
HUN FEA 4 |
HUN SPR 4 |
SPA FEA DSQ |
SPA SPR 5 |
MNZ FEA 17 |
MNZ SPR 9 |
JER FEA 1 |
JER SPR 7 |
YMC FEA 2 |
YMC SPR 1 |
1st | 282 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source:[citation needed] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
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