it's actually so funny that max domination was allegedly killing the sport for years and then the first year without max domination gifts the sport with a teammate vs teammate head to head rivalry for the championship and it's so fucking deadly boring that now that there's a hint of the possibility of max domination again suddenly there is excitement intrigue villainy and cunt being served once more and everyone is rooting for him to just do it please
So, I caved in and I did it in detail! A few days ago I posted a meme of the Charlos lore iceberg but then I had some people asking about some bits and I thought, oh, might as well make the whole masterpost. LOW AND BEHOLD, it is here; an extensive compilation of the rich Charlos lore
Below the cut because boy is this bitch long
DISCLAIMER: before we begin I must note a few things. First, this isn't a whole detailed timeline of Charles&Carlos' relationship and every single bit of their moments bc I would've genuinely gone insane, so, like with the iceberg meme, this is merely key details of their relationship that make ME particularly unwell. This is also almost 2K words long. Lastly, not all points are linked as some of them are rather quite simple to find with an easy Google search
They have the same name in different languages. (In fact, Carlos has explained that his ‘chilli’ nickname comes from the fact that a lot of his friends went from calling him ‘charlie’ to calling him ‘chilli’). Their name is of Germanic origin and it means “free man”. Charles is the French/English version of it, Carlos is the Spanish one.
Beginnings & Pre-Ferrari era (2017-2020)
“I knew you before you knew me” – Charles said he had heard about Carlos when he was coming up in racing while Carlos was competing in KF3 (2008-2009)
They were already hanging out by 2017, when Charles was still only a Ferrari academy driver – as told by a reddit user who works in the Yas Marina circuit and shared the story with a tiny Renault helmet signed by Carlos
“I said this guy’s not beating me, no fucking way” – Carlos in Drive to Survive S01E02 after his battle with Charles in the Azerbaijan GP. (Sidenote: The first episode of DTS dedicated to Charles –S01E08– also showcases a battle with Carlos briefly)
Marina Bay Sands pool story – in several instances now, they both have shared the story of their first meeting/first ‘real’ conversation back in 2018, during the race week of the Singapore GP. They both said they saw each other at the pool of Marina Bay Sands hotel (it’s still unclear whether they were inside the pool or just by), and they had dinner where they talked for a while.
Carlos’ said that that first conversation made him think Charles was a good guy but also that when he first talked to him, he seemed innocent
2018 Autosport Awards interview – Charles is giving an interview about how his exciting new season is coming and Carlos pops in and tugs him by the ear, making as if to give him a little smooch
“Carlos! My future teammate!”
Ferrari era (paper & cotton years – 2021-2022)
Youngest Ferrari duo
Lord Perceval nickname is born – despite claims that Charles disliked the nickname Carlos gave him (as requested by Charles himself that Carlos ‘from now on, call me Lord Perceval”), Charles went on to have it as his personal tag on his cap –made for driver use only. He’s also used ‘Perceval’ as his aviator call sign when he did some training with the French Air Force.
Jenga challenge video
Fiorano music challenge – this is their core happy memory, as they have said a few times themselves
“I started to listen to some jazz in the mornings” “Jazz?”
Chess – chess is one core activity they do. They would play a lot, even online. Charles would even stop talking to Carlos when he lost sometimes, and Carlos has stated that he only plays it with Charles.
Charles’ said Carlos plays better at night, and he plays better in the morning to evening. “The flights together are probably the ones I enjoy the most (...) we will put our phones away and play chess. That’s where we have the most interesting and deep conversations and I have really, really good memories of that”
“You haven’t showered together?” “We’re not that close yet” // “I find you spontaneously funny” “Carlos doesn’t do anything but he makes me laugh” – Sky Sports game interview in 2021
Charles going to watch Carlos on the podium in Monaco – Carlos talked later in 2024 about how much it meant for him to see Charles there
“Mate! You are looking at me!”
Red porn couch debriefs videos – not much to say, tbh, Ferrari sat them in a sus red couch to shoot the debrief post-race videos. Some of them are quite something
“Come on, Charles, don’t do this!” – Carlos’ radio in Saudi Arabia ‘21
Jean Alesi calling them ‘la bella coppia’ (“the beautiful couple”) // also, Jean Alesi doing photoshop manips when Charlos fought in 2024
Carlos: “good looking couple” “we make a good couple” “most beautiful pair”
Carlos showing off his strength to Charles in that Ferrari party thing
Everything that was written in the GQ article (by Tom Lamont) as well as the photoshoot
Calling each other beautiful
Charles sharing a sandwich with Carlos
Them calling each other ‘sweetie’, ‘honey’, ‘baby’, ‘love’ // ‘like this or more, darling?’ // ‘thank you, my love’
Bahrain 1-2
Carlos checking in on Charles before his post-race interview in Monza 22’ despite being told he had to go some other place
Ferrari era (leather & forced divorce – 2023-2024)
Football watching together (despite the fact that Charles’ said he doesn’t really follow football) // “Yes, Carlos will be really happy” – Charles after someone asked him if he watched El Clasico and Real Madrid had won that time
Paddle playing too
“Can I choose the position he needs to be in? Take off your clothes, Carlos!”
The gingerbread cookies video
“He loves me” – the whole shell challenges in Zandvoort actually
Talked about racing Le Mans
Charles being jealous of Lando
“Together or nothing. We come as a package”
Charles hiding in Carlos’ closet to surprise him for his birthday
Monza 23’ battle
The Curious Case of Charlos and Pierre Gasly’s PR accusations – During a fan forum in the Singapore GP ’23 weekend, Carlos joked that he would’ve picked Charles to be stuck with in a deserted island, saying: “You see, I would’ve picked Charles, Esteban, I like my teammate” (because Esteban had been asked the same question just before and upon being told he wasn’t allowed to pick his own teammate, Esteban jokingly went: “I wasn’t going to pick Pierre anyway”).
Pierre and Esteban Ocon had a rocky relationship as teammates in Alpine, on top of having an already complicated past together since they’ve known each other since they were kids. Nearing the end of 2023 season, after Pierre (and Esteban) had been criticized for their poor relationship, Pierre talked about friendships in the paddock in an interview and he name-dropped Carlos and Charles, claiming that people “shouldn’t think that they’re all friends”. Despite Pierre having also named Mercedes and Red Bull pairs, people seemed to only latch onto Charlos
It’s important to note that Pierre Gasly is the driver Charles is famously closest to in the whole grid (as they’ve been friends since childhood) but also, he was teammates with Carlos in Toro Rosso for two races in 2017, and is fairly one of the drivers that are close-ish to Carlos as well. In fact, Pierre sometimes hangs with both of them, too.
Puma couch picture we never got the context of
Fred: “are you still single?” Carlos: *looks at Charles* “anyway, changing subject…” – DTS S06E08 // (Sidenote: theres some joking that Charles’ current girlfriend, Alexandra Saint Mleux, and Carlos’ current girlfriend, Rebecca Donaldson, seem to have a slight resemblance to Carlos and Charles, respectively (and the girls also seem to get along quite well))
New York event
Charles timing Carlos’ laps
“I want to give this to you, so you remember me for the rest of your life. For our post teammate era” // “You’re going to leave it there” “No, I won’t" – Carlos gifting him a chili plushie.
“Tell Charles to come close to me and we celebrate this one together” – Australia 24’
China Sprint 24’ incident: “He’s fighting me harder than the rest” // “A kiss on the mouth, everything okay”
Spanish reporter calling them roommates
Insane sim racing videos (almost all of them have some degree of craziness but specially Saudi Arabia, Austria, Dutch, Monza, COTA, Brazil)
Both of them thinking about their morning wood live on camera… then Carlos knowing Charles’ a sleepy guy
Miami merch promo video being cut just right as Carlos seems to go for Charles’ face
“We go from hating each other to loving each other real quick” – actually, that whole motorsport interview for Miami was awesome
Spain 24' inchident - Charles: “He was trying to do something extraordinary because it’s his home race and important moment in his career” // Carlos: “It’s too many times he complains about something”
“Charles and I have one or two ding-dongs a year”
“We look at each other and we smiled like we’re used to” // “We look at each other in the eyes and we understand immediately”
Gladiator II premiere
“Complicate me. Complicate my life, like you always do”
Charles letting Carlos drive his Ferrari in Monaco and show Carlos Sr
“I wanna smash you”
Carlos grabbing Charles’ balls in Mexico 24’
“You should try the chilli crab … I am the chilli crab”
“Try in Spanish” – Charles post Vegas 24’
“Carlos is not my girlfriend, I’m not gonna miss him like crazy”
“I would listen to you for hours”
Abu Dhabi 24’ radio: “it hurts a lot… I really wish we could’ve won it also for the last season with Carlos”
Charles goodbye to Carlos: “Now, I can call him a friend outside of racing” // Charles calling him 'chilli' in IG post (Carlos' said his personal friends call him chilli)
“I wouldn’t be the driver I am today if he hadn’t been my teammate”
“I was happy with Charles. I would’ve continued with Leclerc for life”
“Amazing four years fighting for Ferrari” — Carlos on IG
Fred: “I have never in all my time of racing seen two teammates so intensely preoccupied with what the other one is doing”
Charles being in Fiorano for Carlos’ last farewell with his father driving a Formula 1
Timeless traditions/Uncategorized info
Starting almost all videos with: “Helloooo” “hola”
“Are you ready?” “I’m always ready, Carlos”
Zero concept of personal space
Charles often looks smaller than Carlos despite actually being taller
Hand size difference
Yapper & Yapper
Carlos’ love language is physical violence
Carlos –a self-proclaimed butt guy— often taps Charles’ butt
germansingergirl
stormborns
yousharknotpass
theartofmadeline
origamiaround
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
titsay
