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Sauber-Ferrari has confirmed that Charles Leclerc will drive for the Switzerland-based team in the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship.
A member of Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA), Leclerc was born on 16 October 1997 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. There is no other place except Monaco where Formula One is a part of the life of the town. Guardrails and kerbs become part of the daily life of the population of world's second smallest country and it is inevitable for a young lad like Leclerc bo be influenced by it.
Charles Leclerc won the AutoSport Rookie of the Year 2017 for his exploits in the FIA Formula 2 Championship this season. In 2016, the Monegasque racing driver won the GP3 series in his rookie season. For the 2018 season, he has won the prized F1 driver seat. It is safe to say that he looks to be firmly on the fast track to success.
Let us look at some amazing facts about the next sensation of Formula One - Charles Leclerc!
#1 Dedicated Formula 2 title to his father
Leclerc's father Herve too loved the adrenaline rush of racing in a car. He drove in Formula 3 in the 1980s and 1990s. Also, he was well respected in the world of karting. Leclerc dedicated his F2 title to his father, who died earlier this year.
Leclerc was the childhood friend of late Jules Bianchi and began karting at the track managed by Bianchi's father. Like Jules, Leclerc too joined the ARM management company headed by Nicolas Todt, the son of current FIA president Jean Todt.
#2 Sheer dominance in Formula-2
Charles Leclerc won the FIA Formula Two Championship 2017 in his debut season by driving for Prema Racing team. He became the first driver since Nico Hulkenberg in 2009 to win the coveted title in his rookie season. Only two more drivers – Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have managed to win the Formula-2 Championship in their debut seasons.
In pursuit of the elite trophy, Leclerc started on pole a record eight times and won the race on seven occasions. The second best was Stoffel Vandoorne, who won the pole six consecutive times in both 2014 and 2015 seasons.
#3 First feel of a Formula One car
Leclerc first got the taste of F1 car in the first practice session of the 2016 British Grand Prix.
It was rumoured in 2016 that if Leclerc won the GP3 Championship, he would join the likes of Valtteri Bottas and Daniil Kvyat to graduate to Formula One directly from GP3. Haas team principal debunked the myth by announcing that he would progress to Formula Two.
For 2017 season, he took part in the mid-season Hungaroring Test by driving the famous red Ferrari. He completed 98 laps on the first day but didn't drive on the second day. He was fastest on the clock on the first day.
#4 Got third choice F1-race number in debut season
Charles wishes to have seven as his F1 race number for his debut season in 2018 but the number was already taken by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen.
His second choice was the number ten. To his disappointment, the race number 10 was not up for taking. Pierre Gasly of Toro Rosso F1 team had ten inscribed on his race car in the 2017 season, and he further decided to continue it for the next season as well.
Leclerc will now have sixteen written on his formula one car, his third choice. He clarifies that one plus six equals to seven, which is his favourite number.
#5 Wise beyond his age
Two of the most important persons in his life, his father Herve and his friend Jules Bianchi have both passed away, taken far away and too early.
Herve was with him at every step of Leclerc's career and motivated him with the tales of Ayrton Senna's heroics on the streets of Monaco. Charles started karting along with Jules on the track which belonged to Bianchi's father.
Just three days after his father's death, Leclerc claimed pole in Baku by a margin of six-tenths of a second. He triumphed the next day and has carried a tribute to his father ever since.
