Charles Leclerc is a professional race car driver in the Formula 1 Championship. He started his racing career by karting at age seven. He progressed through the junior karting series and claimed his first-ever title at the Junior Direct-Drive World Karting Cup in 2011. Following that year, he graduated to Junior Formulae and moved to Formula Renault 2.0.
After gaining several podiums in Formula Renault, Leclerc graduated to FIA Formula 3 in 2015. He finished fourth in his rookie season, and next year he claimed his first-ever championship title in a single-seater at the 2016 GP3 Series. In 2017, Leclerc won the inaugural Formula 2 championship title and got behind the wheel with SauberF1 in a debut session in 2018.
Who paid for Charles Leclerc karting?
His family members generally supported Charles Leclerc's karting career. His father, Herve Leclerc, was himself a race car driver who competed in Formula 3 between the 1980s and 1990s. So, motorsport and racing were not new things in Charles Leclerc’s family. His father decided early on that Charles would be the one to continue pursuing racing ambitions. This support played an important role in Charles's karting at a very young age. Even his maternal grandfather helped Leclerc to cover his expenses and costs throughout his karting career.
Leclerc's whole family supported him, and he proved himself with every race win. In 2009, Charles won the French Championship and the Bridgestone Cup in karting and achieved a progressive win. With that win, Leclerc offered a partnership deal with Richard Mille, the brand that provided sponsorship and support through the remainder of his karting years. Later, in 2011, a motorsport manager named Nicolas Todt scouted Charles Leclerc and worked with him until he debuted in Formula 3.
Also Read: Charles Leclerc sponsors
How did Charles Leclerc get into racing?
Charles Leclerc began karting at the age of seven. He went to drive go-karts at the Brignoles kart circuit, which Jules Bianchi's family owned. Leclerc's father's racing background helped him in his early days of racing. He quickly showcased his talent and skills and won the regional PACA championship in the Mini class in 2005. He advanced through several karting divisions, winning both national and international. In 2010, he became the youngest winner of the Monaco Kart Cup, and in 2011, he took home the CIK-FIA World Cup.
His breakthrough came when Nicolas Todt signed him to the All Road Management team. This mutual agreement has helped Leclerc to move from karting to single-seater racing. Leclerc then moved up the motorsport ladder, winning championships in GP3 and Formula 2 before making his Formula 1 debut with Sauber in 2018. In 2019, Leclerc signed a multi-year contract deal with Ferrari to be the F1 driver beyond the 2024 season.
FAQs On Charles Lecrec
A. Charles Leclerc is 27 years old as of May 2025.
A. Charles Leclerc started karting at age seven.
A. Richard Mille sponsored Charles Leclerc during his early karting days.
A. Charles Leclerc made his F1 debut with the Sauber F1 team at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix.
