Ten Seasons in Red

The first time Charles Leclerc came to Maranello, he was left standing at the gate. “It was the spring of 2010 and I had come to Fiorano with Jules Bianchi, who at the time was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy,” recalls Charles. “Jules had to do some physical tests in the gym, but when we got to the gate, the security guard saw that I wasn’t accredited and to make things worse, I was underage: I was only 12. So I stood there, in the car park, having to imagine what might be behind that gate that was blocking my view.”

No harm done.

Charles would make up for it a few years later, on May 10, 2016, to be precise, which he still recalls as “one of the best days of my life.” With his mother and father looking on, at the same track where he was denied access just six years earlier, he made his first appearance in red, as a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. At the wheel of an F14 T, completing 300 kilometres, the distance required to be allowed to drive in a free practice session at a Grand Prix weekend.

Click to go behind the scenes on Charles' latest photo shoot

His years with the FDA shaped Charles as a driver and also as a person.

“Some of my closest friendships were born there, with Antonio Fuoco and Giuliano Alesi for example, and I’m still very close to them.  Our rooms were on the top floor of the little house at the Fiorano track, and, in the evening, being able to walk past the office that once belonged to Enzo Ferrari was an incredible feeling. Looking back, it feels like the time has just flown by.”

In a way, Maranello has become a second home to Charles: “This is where my social life is, my friends. Ferrari is more than a world-famous name, more than just amazing cars. It’s a place I love visiting, I love seeing a car come to life step by step, from the first concept to the drawings, from assembly to hitting the road or the track. And that feeling never fades; in fact, it gets stronger over time.”

This year is Charles Leclerc’s tenth season as a Ferrari driver. A season that hasn’t started particularly well, but one that has the potential to become an important one. “The SF-25 is a car with great potential and it’s up to us to bring that out,” says Charles. “Lewis’ win in the China Sprint shows us that if we can maximise our package, we can fight at the front, and we’ll do everything we can to do so consistently. We still have a lot to learn about how to get the most out of the SF-25 and right now we’re missing a couple of tenths to be able to compete for wins. I have total confidence in the team, and I believe we’ll soon be in a position to challenge McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes.”

From F2 title to F1 race wins and partnering Lewis, Charles has enjoyed quite the journey

Charles rose through the ranks quickly and even though the promise was there right from the very start, a Ferrari drive was just a dream back in the early days. “In my first year, I competed in GP3, and then in 2017 I won the F2 title. But do you know how many people are just waiting for you to slip up after a big win? Nothing was guaranteed, not even when I started in F1 with Sauber in 2018. Because going from Formula 2 to Formula 1 is a quantum leap, since everything is different, from the cars to the organisation. And of course there’s more pressure.”

In fact, in 2019 the pressure actually increased when Charles’ dream of competing for Ferrari came true. “That season taught me a lot. Like not to worry too much about test sessions, because it’s qualifying and the races that count. Or not to push too hard and end up making avoidable mistakes, like in Baku qualifying. But it was also the season of my first pole position in Bahrain. The next day, the race too was going to plan until a power unit issue in the closing laps denied me the win. I had to wait a few more months to stand on the top step of the podium, at Spa, and then, even better, the very next week again, at Monza, in front of that unforgettable sea of red.”

Ten seasons since he joined the Ferrari Driver Academy, Charles remains as dedicated as ever

That special emotion was repeated last year for Charles with two very special wins.

“First came the victory at Monaco in my home race. That race had felt cursed as something had always gone wrong in the past, either in qualifying or during the race. But this time, everything went right, as I took pole position and led from start to finish. Winning where you were born and raised, on streets you’ve driven thousands of times, was wonderful. Maybe that’s why I thought that if I won again at Monza, it wouldn’t feel quite as emotional. But no, Monza is Monza. You look down from the podium and see all those people there for Ferrari, and your heart can’t help but beat faster.”

In the early days of this current season, Charles finds himself in the strange position of being the youngest driver of the Ferrari pairing, yet also the old hand, teamwise.

“In recent years in F1, I’ve always had fantastic teammates. First Seb (Vettel), a really hard worker and I got to see up close how much attention he paid to even the smallest detail and I learnt a lot from him. Then came four years with Carlos (Sainz), whose ability to quickly adapt to all sorts of conditions I’ve always envied a bit. And now, Lewis, who is a unique talent and a legend of the sport.”