“Being close to him was very exciting”: Father Don Patrizio opens up about meeting Ferrari star Charles Leclerc

Late in June, Father Don Patrizio, a Parish priest who is also a Formula 1 fan, had the opportunity to meet Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

This came to fans' attention after the former posted a couple of pictures with Leclerc on his Instagram. He is apparently a Ferrari and Leclerc fan as well, and the Monegasque has been seen on his profile quite a few times since.

Recently, he was interviewed and asked about the time he shared with the Ferrari driver. Father Patrizio mentioned that Charles Leclerc has a charming personality and is of a character that is not very common in this era.

He told Formula1.it:

"He is a boy with a fixed smile, of extraordinary humility, availability and seriousness, characteristics that in this world are no longer in the common vocabulary. Being close to him was very exciting."

He admitted to being an F1 fan and how he would spend his time watching the sport. At the same time, Father Patrizio mentioned that in the past few years, it has been difficult for him to watch since his favorite team, Ferrari, has been suffering quite a lot. The team won their latest championship back in 2008.

He added:

"On Sundays after Holy Mass, I sit comfortably in an armchair and enjoy the race, even though unfortunately for a few years I suffer a lot for my favorite color... red."

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Father Patrizio confident about Ferrari and Charles Leclerc making their way to the top of the grid

2022 was the first time in many seasons that Ferrari looked competitive enough to win a world championship; however, things went South by the midway point of the season. The team could only finish behind Red Bull in second place, and Charles Leclerc had the same position in the drivers' standings.

While talking to Father Patrizio, he stated that although the team has been suffering in recent years, they will make a comeback to the top soon enough.

He said:

"Don't worry, we'll be great again and we'll have plenty for everyone. Unfortunately, even if we can't give our best with the single-seater, the red that made the world fall in love will come back, so don't worry, we'll soon set fire to the tracks and there will be only Ferrari."

The team's 2023 season has been rather underperforming, partly because of the new floor regulations that were introduced for the season.

They currently stand fourth in the standings, behind Aston Martin, who made great development to the top.