“I told my friend to turn off the engines”: Charles Leclerc reminisces the time Ferrari boss called him before signing the Monegasque F1 driver

F1 sensation Charles Leclerc reminisced about the time he got the call-up to join the Scuderia Ferrari team and how he almost got pranked by former team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.

Leclerc rose through the ranks of the junior Formula Series in phenomenal fashion and was crowned the F2 champion in 2017. The Ferrari protege earned his promotion to the premier series in 2018, with the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team.

Charles Leclerc's giant-killing performances in his rookie season turned heads in the paddock. Ferrari fast-tracked his promotion to the team, announcing him as the replacement for Kimi Raikkonen for the 2019 season.

The Monegasque recalled the circumstances of the time he was informed about the decision by former Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene. In a recent interview with Italian media Sport Mediaset, he said:

"I was on a boat in Monaco. I put my phone in silent mode, I found the call from Maurizio Arrivabene. I told my friend to turn off the engines, that Ferrari’s boss called me, and that I didn’t feel good."

The 26-year-old added that he was initially pranked by Arrivabene, who told him that the team wouldn't take him in for 2019, only to reveal the truth later.

"I understood they wouldn’t have taken me in Ferrari. I thought it was a bit strange that he called me to tell me that. I was disappointed. 15 seconds after, he called me and told me he was joking. I hung up the phone and dived into the sea, it felt all so surreal," Leclerc said.

Charles Leclerc recently capped off his fifth season with the team in 2023 and has racked up five wins, 23 pole positions and 30 podiums over five years. His current deal with Ferrari expires after the 2024 season and is reportedly expected to continue until 2029.

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Charles Leclerc heaps praise on Max Verstappen, dismisses "unfair" claims

Max Verstappen dominantly claimed his third title this year, winning by over double the margin of his nearest competitor. He drove the RB19 to a record-breaking 19 wins.

However, Charles Leclerc believes it is "unfair" to say that Verstappen is having an easy life with the RB19. He suggested the Dutchman had toiled hard over the years and was now reaping the rewards.

"That would be very unfair," Leclerc told Auto Motor und Sport. "Of course, he’s in a comfortable position today, but to get there, he had to put in a lot of work. And they’ve simply done a good job to get to where they are now. I respect that. Now we have to do an equally good job to catch up with them."

Charles Leclerc will now hope Ferrari closes the gap with the reigning champions in 2024.