Charles Leclerc talks about his "Red Passion"

Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc talks about his beginnings, his myths - including Ayrton Senna and how he prepares for his races. And what he likes to do in his free time with his lifelong friends.

Photography JOSEPH DEGBADJO
Styling SCHANEL BAKKOUCHE

At the time of the interview Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc , Formula 1 driver for the Ferrari team , is driving his Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio – «beautiful car, agile, aggressive even if I drive relaxed on normal roads» – who left from Maranello to his home in Monaco, for a short break before setting off again for the Mexican Grand Prix.

L'OFFICIEL ITALIA: Who chose to call you Perceval?
CHARLES LECLERC: My father, perhaps he imagined his children as the legendary Knights of the Round Table. I have two brothers, the younger Arthur - who has speed in his blood - and Lorenzo, older than me, who always accompanies him to all the races..

LOI: Maybe one day together with Ferrari?
CL: It would be a dream, but for now I want him to grow independently, to discover his path, the circuit is a difficult world, so much so that he knows that if he ever needs me I will always be by his side.

LOI: When did you discover your passion for this profession?
CL : I was four years old and one day I told my father Hervé that I didn't feel well and I didn't want to go to kindergarten. I don't know why, he believed it and took me with him to the go-kart track of his best friend, Philippe Bianchi. (Father of the pilot Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015 on the Suzuka track, the first pilot to die after Ayrton Senna, nda). When I saw other children running on the track, I asked my father if I could try. For my first car I chose the color red, and after three laps I fell in love with this sport, I couldn't understand the concept of braking. On those tracks I started dreaming of becoming a pilot, then growing up I realized that I could make my dream come true and turn it into a job opportunity.

LOI: Do you ever feel fear?
CL: Honestly… I felt scared in 2017 when I thought I could not succeed in becoming a Formula 1 driver. (Leclerc won the GP3 series championship in 2016; FIA Formula 2 in 2017 to debut in F.1 with the Alfa Romeo Sauber the following year, in 2018). Never afraid of speed, the day I'm afraid, I'll stop running immediately, because living in fear is half living.

LOI: Do you remember the first Grand Prix you saw?

CL: I was still a child, I had a friend whose apartment had a balcony overlooking the Monte Carlo circuit. Of course, I always supported red cars, which have always been a special color for me, even though I didn't know Ferrari existed yet. I repeat, I am living my childhood dream.

LOI: Your favorite driver?
CL : My idol has always been Ayrton Senna, from what I have been able to see from documentaries and talking to people who knew him, I discovered that he was a special person, not only behind the wheel, perhaps the best in history, but also as a human being. He will always be a legend, and not just for me.

LOI: Give me a list of your favorite team and circuits.
CL: Senna for sure, Prost, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Michael Schumacher and... Hamilton would be fine too. Monaco and Singapore the circuits, precisely because if you make a mistake you pay for it immediately.

LOI: There's been a lot of talk about mental health in sports lately. How do you keep your focus?
CL : Even if I run at 300km per hour I'm a human being, I alternate between beautiful moments and difficult moments, I'm not a superhero. To maximize my concentration, even though I've always been good at handling tense moments, I've been doing breathing exercises since I was a boy. They help me stay calm, they're part of the job of achieving a level of focus that helps me maximize my potential. Preparing for the race is 90% of the work, you have to think about everything from strategies to teamwork.

LOI: Since you spend most of your time in a pilot suit, how do you like to dress in your spare time?
CL: Even if it doesn't seem like it, I really like fashion, it's a way to express myself without speaking. I have two types of styles, one very streetwear, causal, relaxed but refined, and then the more classic one, complete with jacket and elegant trousers. I'm not very fond of ties and I use them little. I often wear garments from the new Ferrari line, they are aerodynamic and the fabrics are technical but with an air of couture. Plus they have my favorite color, you should know what it is by now.

LOI: When you're not running, what do you do?
CL: I'm a normal guy, I spend time with friends. They are Ricardo, Alex, Thomas, Guillaume, Nico, Hugo, and Joris. I'm the hard core of my youth. We go to the beach, to the restaurant, we play soccer, we play sports together because we are all sportsmen, even if it is difficult for me to find free time to spend with them. I do normal things, even if my life remains different because while they study, I live my passion. I love racing, I love Ferrari, I'm lucky.

LOI: Do you play Formula 1 video games?
CL: I play with my brothers, it's a lot of fun because normally we never talk about racing together, but we do when we play. During the lockdown, with other riders, we organized challenges on Twitch, because we wanted to entertain our fans who couldn't come and see us racing. It was a tough time for everyone, at the same time I had the opportunity to stop for a moment and live a more normal life with my family.

LOI: Your favorite moment before a race?
CL: When I put my helmet on and everyone comes out of the pit lane, at that point I'm alone with my car and it feels good. It's like a nest, I don't feel any sensation, zero tension, I'm completely relaxed waiting for the ride.