source: autohebdo magazine
format: interview
season: 2020, f1
"My parents divorced when I was four years old. My mother then married Hervé Leclerc and my two brothers were born very close together: Charles, when I was 9, and Arthur 3 years later. Our family's history with motorsport began with Hervé, a great enthusiast, who drove F3 between 1986 and 1989. My grandfather, Charles Manni, was part of a major industry in Monaco but he dreamed more of his family taking over the company than starting to race.
But Hervé's passion became our passion, and while we had a difficult start to our relationship-- it is not easy for a 5-year-old boy to see a new man come into his life-- karting brought us closer and brought us together. When Charles was 5 years old, we went to the Brignoles track for the first time: the one owned by Philippe Bianchi, Jules' father and a friend of Hervé. Jules and I became like two brothers and spent all our free time karting. We all grew up in this environment of future good drivers: Jules, Charles, Arthur, but also Norman Nato and Pierre Gasly. Despite the age differences, we all teamed up in endurance races and put cushions under the butts of the youngest kids. But on the other hand, we didn't give them any breaks on the track."
VIDEO: "Charles Leclerc: pilote Monégasque de Karting" (MonacoInfo, 2008)
Interviewer: And when you see your mom or dad driving around town like that, do you give them driving tips? What do you tell them?
Charles: Yes. I told them to obey all red lights.
Interviewer: Is there any advice you could give to people who are listening to us, who are watching us and who don't necessarily always drive very well?
Charles: Well, on the road, you respect the code and on the track, well, you drive.
Aarava: What's your most embarrassing moment in your career? On-track, off-track, F1 or not.
Charles: Probably when I had to tell my mechanic at the end of my last Formula Renault race that I had peed in the seat. This was quite embarassing.
Aarava: I don't know how that conversation starts. “I've got something to tell you.” Right. So, we're in Italy so I have to ask a very important question. You know, a lot of people take a lot of solace in the answer to this question: pineapple on pizza. Yes or no?
Charles: No.
Aarava: No, okay. Marcus said yes, so I'm with you.
Charles: Oh, no.
Aarava: He was going on about putting kebab stuff on the pizza. It was very weird, very weird.
Charles: Probably some Swedish thing.
Aarava: Yeah, I think it's Swedish tradition. So, social media these days in F1 is getting bigger and bigger and you're a really avid user of social media. How much does it kind of affect you on a week to week basis? Do you read much into what people say about you? Like, fans are saying about you on a race weekend or?
Charles: I'm actually quite a bit on social media, I really like to interact with the people that are following me. Then, obviously, I think I am in quite a lucky position where people generally likes me. Hopefully it will last. Maybe some people will get angry now hearing this and start to hate me but yeah, no. I'm quite liked so I try to be as close as possible to the people that are following me.
Aarava: On that same kind of line: obviously, you're probably tired of hearing it, but on that same line, obviously, everyone keeps talking about what you gonna do in the future, you gonna, you know, have a stepping stone to Haas? When are you gonna go to Ferrari? How much does that wear you down? Like, do you get annoyed by the constant talk of it or do you kind of just blank it out?
Charles: No, I mean, I understand that there are rumors, people want to know what's happening and obviously, when I was watching Formula One, I was also very impatient to know which drivers will move in which team. So I completely understand it. Yeah, I just hope that I will be able to let you know very soon.
Aarava: On another driver talk, you know, Ricciardo is going to Renault now, Alonso is retiring.. As a driver whose not like, I mean, you're a little bit involved, but do you read a lot into that? Like, do you take interest in what other people are doing?
Charles: Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's quite difficult to miss the news about Ricciardo going to Renault and Alonso stopping at the end of the year. But, yeah, of course. Yeah, I'm checking these also.
Aarava: Any funny moment with Marcus or previous teammates in lower categories or anything like that? Like pranks or just really funny moments, stand up moments?
Charles: It's difficult. I'm normally getting on very well with my teammates. So there are a lot of funny moments, to pick one is something difficult.
Aarava: Okay. And obviously last weekend you can't get away from it: you got in a really horrendous crash with Alonso and lucky that he came out of it, really. What was the feeling like right when it happened? Like, was it just a blur really?
Charles: Well, I just remember trying to downshift and, and go again on track hoping that there will be no damages. But unfortunately, obviously, I expected some damages and it was not possible to continue. So, just frustration really to not continue the race.
Aarava: Your birthday is coming up later in the year. So obviously, if it's not on a race weekend, what would you usually do to celebrate your birthday? Like any kind of activities or a favorite meal or a favorite drink even to have on a night out?
Charles: I'm quite boring, to be honest with nights out and parties and things like this. But honestly, I am, yeah, probably a bit of time with the family and friends and that's it basically.
Aarava: Ok. Fair enough. It's a nice quiet night in. Maybe that Netflix question was quite on point.
Charles: Yeah, exactly. That, what I was going to say, probably it's on Netflix also.
Aarava: All you drivers post some really nice holiday photos over summer break. So, is there any place in the world where you haven't been yet where you want to go on holiday?
Charles: I really like traveling. I really like the sun and the sea. So, probably all the parts of the world where I haven't gone where there are nice beaches. I will, I will try to go.
Aarava: So, obviously we talked about your social media interaction, stuff like that and we talk about your fans as well. I think a lot of people wanna wonder, like, do you generally, like, actually look through your phone and like, actually see these tweets all the time and like, are you generally the one that's always kind of, you know, liking or responding like that because I know a lot of drivers might use management?
Charles: Yeah, I mean, I've had some propositions of people wanting to help me out with it, but I've never, and I will never, never want someone else to manage it. I mean, maybe someone could do it better but I prefer it to be a bit worse with myself doing it than somebody else. So it stays true and that it reflects myself more than the person that is writing a tweet for me.
Will: The question everybody has in this paddock right now, and it is providing the majority of the column inches, is what happens to this team's young charge the majority of people here see as a potential future world champion in terms of that second, and thus far unsigned, red seat next to Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari? Seb today said Charles shouldn't worry about rushing himself into that seat and there's certainly a vibe in this paddock that he shouldn't. He has no need to- [laughs] just talking about you. Are you going to rush to Ferrari?
Charles: What?
Will: Ah, we've already asked you this? We've already done the interview today. I'm so sorry. Are you getting sick of being asked about it yet?
Charles: Bah. Not this type of question, really.
Will: It's nuts though, right?
Charles: What? Yeah, it is.
Will: It's got to feel a bit crazy.
Charles: What?
Will: got to feel a bit crazy, like everyone's talking about it already.
Charles: Yeah, definitely. But for now it's not realistic, as I was saying. But yeah, I'll try to do the job here first.
Will: You've completely thrown me. I'll get back to it. Thanks man. So yeah. Yes. Him. Interview now.
--
Will: Lewis has been announced at Mercedes, meaning one Mercedes seat has gone, probably the second as well. Red Bull is pretty much stacked up. Do you know where you're going to be driving next year yet?
Charles: No, I'm extremely sorry to not bring anything new yet. I hope that I will be soon, but no, for now, I have no news.
Will: Is it difficult to keep focus on the job at hand when so much is being written about you?
Charles: It is a little bit, but I don't know if it's natural or whatever. But, uh, once I am at the track and that I need to focus on the job, it becomes quite naturally for me to focus fully on the job I have to do and to extract off my head anything that, uh, that are rumors or talks.
Will: Do you read any of it away from the track?
Charles: [Laughs]. I do.
Will: What's the, what's the best thing that you've seen or the thing that surprised you the most?
Charles: Ah, I don't know. Um, I, it's always nice to see Ferrari and Leclerc in the same article and that will never change. But on the other hand, for now, there has been no talks. So, but it's always good to read an article like this.
Interviewer: A difficult race, but you performed well.
Charles: Yes the race was very hard due to the rain, however ART GP and the good chassis helped me a lot. I hope to win the next race too.
Interviewer: Your strongest adversary Max Verstappen made a mistake…not you. You proved to be calm, determined, relaxed/comfortable… but how would it have gone with Max in the race on track?
Charles: Honestly, I don’t know what would have happened/how it would have gone but [smirk] we did it without him. He made a mistake. Maybe next time.
source: Pierre Gasly's Reddit AMA 2020 (youtube)
"It goes back to a long time ago when we were kids, like, nine, ten years old. We would go to holidays together and spend more time. I don't know. It just came, like one day we decided to call each other calamar, which is not really [chuckles] such a beautiful nickname but, yeah, it was just for fun. We were kids and we were laughing. And actually, we have many other nicknames because we were teammates also in karting and we spent a lot, a lot of time together. So, a lot of nicknames came alongside all this time. And this kind of stayed with us."
VIDEO: "Formule 1: La course reprend pour Charles Leclerc" (MonacoInfo, 2021)
Interviewer: The interview is almost over. I don't know if you remember, but I did your interview when you were only ten. It was 2007, I think. You were in karting. Did you imagine when you were ten years old that you'd end up here, today in F1 and with Ferrari no less?
Charles: Of course, I remember. Oh no, I didn’t imagine it then. I didn’t. I remember my first memories of the Monaco Grand Prix. I must have been four or five years old. I used to watch the Formula One races from the balcony of my best friend's apartment, just after the first corner, with this dream of one day being a Formula One driver. Already, that sounded crazy! And so, year after year, I worked towards my goal of one day reaching Formula One, and why not Ferrari one day? But even then, Formula One seemed very complicated to achieve.
Interviewer: Last question: what would you say to the ten-year-old you were at the time? With the hindsight you have now, he's in front of you, this child, this young Charles Leclerc. What would you like to say to him?
Charles: You've got to believe in yourself, it's uh, it's for me, it's the, it's the most important. Uh, it's true that I've never really believed in myself until I got to Formula One. Uh, I think that was a strength on the one hand, because it made me work a lot, because I was always saying to myself 'I’m not good enough at this and this and this'. But yeah, it also was beneficial in certain moments.. So, uh, here's believing in yourself and, above all, having fun.
What was your relationship like before you met at Ferrari, and how is it changing?
LECLERC: "I didn't know Carlos very well, because we had little time to hang out. One evening, in Singapore, he was watching the circuit from the swimming pool on top of the Marina Bay Sand skyscraper and I was there too, so we started talking. Now, the relationship is getting stronger and stronger. We share similar ages and interests, we laugh a lot together and we get along really well."
SAINZ: "I had followed Charles in Formula 2, for his talent, but the first real conversation we had was in Singapore in 2018, when he arrived in Formula 1. From there the relationship got closer also because I I started asking him a lot of questions about Ferrari every time I met him".
What did you discover about your teammate that you never expected?
L: "Perhaps the fact that you speak Italian so well".
S: "I was surprised that he has an artist's disposition. He likes painting, music, playing the piano. All uncommon passions for a driver".
What do you usually joke about?
L: "Overall, like two ordinary guys. We don't just talk about the races, but also about our life, about what happens to us every day. We have a lot of fun".
S: "We spend a lot of time together, even when we eat or do interviews, so we have moments for joking. We laugh a lot. Otherwise it would be boring".
Who is better at cooking?
L: "Him. We recently decided to organize a dinner first at his house and then at mine. The menu he proposed seemed interesting, while mine was pasta in white sauce".
S: "I'm not a great chef, but certainly better than Charles…".
[Rough translation of full interview below]
The red house has a new tenant: Carlos Sainz, son of a rally legend. He and Charles Leclerc-- who took the keys to Maranello from former captain Sebastian Vettel-- form the second youngest Ferrari couple in history after Jacky Ickx and Chris Amon (1968). They arrive at the start of the F1 World Championship in Bahrain full of expectations and hopes, with the same book in their suitcase: My terrible joys, the biography of Enzo Ferrari. Because there is no future without the past.
What was your relationship like before you met at Ferrari, and how is it changing?
LECLERC: "I didn't know Carlos very well, because we had little time to hang out. One evening, in Singapore, he was watching the circuit from the swimming pool on top of the Marina Bay Sand skyscraper and I was there too, so we started talking. Now, the relationship is getting stronger and stronger. We share similar ages and interests, we laugh a lot together and we get along really well."
SAINZ: "I had followed Charles in Formula 2, for his talent, but the first real conversation we had was in Singapore in 2018, when he arrived in Formula 1. From there the relationship got closer also because I I started asking him a lot of questions about Ferrari every time I met him".
What did you discover about your teammate that you never expected?
L: "Perhaps the fact that you speak Italian so well".
S: "I was surprised that he has an artist's disposition. He likes painting, music, playing the piano. All uncommon passions for a driver".
Carlos/Charles' best driving skill?
L: "Consistency, it's very continuous."
S: "The speed, he's very strong in qualifying and in the race, managing to take the car to the limit".
Will it be tough to beat him?
L: "Sure. Carlos is a very strong driver and so far he hasn't had the winning car to prove it. I expect him too to fight for victories when we have the right car".
S: "Especially at the beginning, I will face a very difficult challenge. Charles knows the team better than me and is perhaps the most talented rider on the grid. But I will stay calm and give myself some time to reach his level with the Ferrari".
If there was a misunderstanding between you in the races, how would you react?
L: "It can always happen, but I have the ability to distinguish between the race and what happens outside. I am convinced that Carlos is very similar to me in this respect. So, if there is some misunderstanding, we'll talk about it frankly. Considering our relationship, we won't have any problems."
S: "It depends on the situation. Usually there is always one driver who is more to blame than the other. I hope we will be mature enough to admit it, if it happens. But I think we will not get to that point. We are clear that the priority is to report Ferrari up above, not our personal battles".
What can two young people give to Ferrari?
L: "Motivation first of all, we want to do our best and everyone in the factory has seen this. In addition, we work well together by directing our efforts in the same direction, there is a continuous exchange of information and the needs are the same. The team , therefore, knows exactly where to focus".
S: "We are motivated by the desire to bring Ferrari back to winning ways, a drive that few drivers have. I feel that the team is already on the right path. Furthermore, we are not in a hurry, as can happen to more mature drivers".
What do you usually joke about?
L: "Overall, like two ordinary guys. We don't just talk about the races, but also about our life, about what happens to us every day. We have a lot of fun".
S: "We spend a lot of time together, even when we eat or do interviews, so we have moments for joking. We laugh a lot. Otherwise it would be boring".
Who speaks Italian better?
L: "Carlos told me that I have to teach him some vocabulary. But he stands up to me."
S: "Sometimes I understand some words, similar to the Spanish ones, which instead escape him. But Charles has a higher level than mine".
Who is better at cooking?
L: "Him. We recently decided to organize a dinner first at his house and then at mine. The menu he proposed seemed interesting, while mine was pasta in white sauce".
S: "I'm not a great chef, but certainly better than Charles…".
Who is better working with the engineers?
L: "We have different ways of describing the sensations in the car, but we both try hard."
S: "I apply myself a lot, I'm hard to beat in this, all my teammates have always admitted it".
How important is the family?
L: "When you arrive in Formula 1 you become a magnet, a lot of people approach you for reasons of interest and not because they appreciate you as a person. It's essential to have solid foundations. Therefore family is very important, like the friends you've known since childhood".
S: "Most important of all. Knowing that my loved ones are well, healthy, makes me calm".
The love?
L: "Equally important. I have a girlfriend, I'm fine with her. Sometimes you need to disconnect from motorsport and have someone you're happy with next to you".
S: "One can be happy in life even without love. But better with…".
Money?
L: "It's important for everyone, but it doesn't make you happy. I do this sport because I like driving, for the thrill of winning, not for the money".
S: "Having it is better than not having it, but money doesn't bring happiness."
Victory?
L: "That's what made me fall in love with motor racing. I couldn't live without competition, in whatever I do. I grew up like this, with the desire to always compare myself with others. Therefore, winning is the best".
S: "Very important, perhaps even too much."
Biggest person out of racing?
L: "My mom".
S: "My father Carlos, without him it would have been much more difficult to get here."
What do you think of Stefano Domenicali's idea that he would like pilots as role models for young people?
L: "That's right. We have pursued a passion from an early age and worked to achieve goals: our example can serve to show young people that they too can do it. We are normal people who have managed to live their dream".
S: "I completely agree, especially now that ten-year-olds follow you on Instagram and on social media. Everything you say and do can influence them, so it's important to set correct examples".
Is the salary cap for pilots right or wrong?
L: "We'll talk about it between the FIA and the drivers".
S: "Wrong."
What did you know about Ferrari before arriving in Maranello?
L: "I lived Ferrari as a passion, but I didn't know the history of the brand, there was simply something magical around this name. For me, it has always been the Red Machine. In my wildest fantasies, the team for which I wanted to drive one day was always Ferrari".
S: "I knew everything about the last twenty years, a little less about past history. Now I'm reading the biography of Enzo Ferrari: it was given to me by the president John Elkann, who I asked to show me a book about him".
Would you have liked to meet Ferrari?
L: "Very much. I'm reading his biography too, right now, and I consider him a figure to inspire for many reasons".
S: "Who wouldn't like it? I'm struck by the fact that Ferrari represents Italy. When you join this team, you're racing for an entire nation. It's like playing football and wearing the Spanish national team shirt. Responsibilities and l 'pride".
Which part of the Maranello factory fascinates you the most?
L: "Enzo Ferrari's house inside the Fiorano circuit. One day Carlos and I met in his office and we began to imagine the scenes: "Look, this is where he signed some important contracts...". Thinking this fascinates me so much."
S: "I like the gym, it's the place where I can find my moments of peace, to recover mentally after hard days driving the simulator".
Which of the Ferrari drivers of the past excites you the most between Lauda, Villeneuve, Schumacher or others?
L: "Michael, for all the triumphs he has obtained and for his ability to drag the team along. Gilles, for the madness of certain maneuvers he did on the track with which he gave emotions".
S: "I could say Lauda, Schumacher or Alonso. Instead I say Villeneuve, less known by the general public".
What type is Mattia Binotto?
L: "At first he's reserved, but then he opens up more and more and now we have a very good relationship, where we can be honest, an attitude that helps the team".
S: "I got on well with him from the first minute, he's easy to work with. He seems to me a leader with an ambition and a project that will soon bear fruit".
A goal for this year?
L: "Doing the best possible every time I get in the car. After the first race we will know where we are compared to the rivals".
S: "To take a good step forward, it must be a better season than 2020. I would like the fans to regain faith in Ferrari and believe in us".
Can Ferrari win again in 2022 with the new rules?
L: "I think it's an opportunity for us, or rather an opportunity, to win again."
S: "Why not? I think so. We need more years to become a dominant team, but returning to victory can happen even sooner, above all because 2022 will be a strange year for everyone and we will start from scratch. When was the last change of regulation, in 2017, Ferrari started with the fastest car. I believe in this team".
What would you like to achieve with Ferrari?
L: "I would like to win a world championship. It was already a special milestone when I arrived in Maranello, but succeeding after going through these difficult years would be even more valuable and would give us more satisfaction".
S: "I would like to stay in Maranello for many years. Obviously, Ferrari is in a hurry to get back to winning ways, and we want it to happen as soon as possible, but I have the patience to work in perspective to bring the red back to success".
