Charles Leclerc’s presence amidst Lewis Hamilton’s triumphant arrival at Maranello barely merited a footnote. Because the world strained for any fleeting glimpse of the brand new man in crimson, Leclerc lurked within the shadows. He, too, drove 2023 automobile, logging 14 laps at Fiorano, sharing a second with the cheering tifosi trackside. But regardless of the give attention to Hamilton, undoubtedly probably the most vital driver signings in F1 historical past, there’s each probability of Leclerc stealing his thunder as soon as the racing begins.
Hamilton’s arrival is a confounding think about Leclerc’s pre-ordained ascent to the highest of F1, nevertheless it shouldn’t derail Leclerc. The 27-year-old heads into his seventh season with Ferrari off the again of his greatest marketing campaign but, one by which he top-scored after the August break. Had been it not for Ferrari’s ill-fated June ground improve, which triggered porpoising and a time-consuming design rethink, Leclerc may have been a real title contender. He and Ferrari stand on the point of ending a world championship drought that stretching again to its final constructor’s title in 2008. His second has come.
No one disputes Leclerc is without doubt one of the quickest in F1 over a single lap; there’s a powerful argument he’s quickest of all. He’s a rarity in trendy F1 who can ship visibly on-the-edge qualifying laps, exemplified by his Singapore pole in 2019 when he hung the rear finish of the Ferrari out a number of instances, with out dropping time by means of his lairiness. He additionally has phenomenal traction-sensitivity, with a outstanding capacity to know simply how a lot to lean on overheating rear tires on the finish of the lap. That’s only one instance of his peerless really feel, permitting him to conduct his physics-defying dance on the tightrope of grip.
He’s a proactive driver, one who induces rotation at nook entry by overlapping throttle and brake. That’s best in a automobile with oversteer, which he makes use of his extremely management to handle all through the remainder of the nook. He additionally chimes with the driving model demanded of the present floor impact vehicles, adapting rapidly once they have been first launched in 2022 and modifying his braking method throughout testing. His ensuing astonishing flip of pace has been there proper again to his karting days, ticking each field aside from the one marked ‘world champion’.
The caricature of Leclerc is that he’s quick however error-prone and unreliable in races, together with his ratio of 26 to only eight wins cited as supporting proof, together with expensive errors he’s made previously. The view he couldn’t be trusted on race day was all the time exaggerated, however he did make too many errors – maybe exemplified by crashing out whereas main within the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, making an attempt to squeeze each final iota of day trip of the automobile on ageing tires within the data he would drop behind Max Verstappen when he pitted. He’s additionally often requested an excessive amount of of the automobile on qualifying laps, which is the draw back of that capacity to tiptoe on the restrict. Each every so often, he slides off the slim peak – normally adopted by self-beration over the radio.
Final yr underlined how far he’s come. The worst mistake in races was poor ‘middle-lane’ automobile positioning at first of the Austrian Grand Prix that led to entrance wing harm – and that was solely a minor error of judgement.
“Trying again at this yr, there hasn’t actually been any missed alternatives,” stated Leclerc of his 2024 season late final yr. “In different years, after I regarded again there have been all the time one or two races the place I wished to do issues that weren’t potential and it bit me. That might imply I’d get zero factors after I may have gotten 10 or eight factors. Even when that’s not a lot, on the finish once you add these up, it makes a distinction. This yr, I don’t assume I’ve left any alternatives behind. That’s the reason I’m glad with the season.”
Many of the consideration was understandably on Lewis Hamilton when Ferrari held a pre-season shakedown at Fiorano earlier this month, however Leclerc additionally took the chance to blow out any winter cobwebs. Fabrizio Boldoni/Ferrari
Fulfilling the lifelong dream of profitable on his house streets in Monaco was the apparent excessive level. His progress within the iconic occasion showcasing his evolution as he put behind him the ache of a Q3 crash in 2021 that precipitated undetected harm stopping him ranging from pole, then his failure to command strategic selections as successfully as his team-mate after main the moist race early on a yr later. Arguably, his ostensibly-straightforward win in the USA Grand Prix at Austin was extra spectacular given the outstanding tempo he confirmed whereas managing the tough Pirelli tires. His different 2024 win was additionally a tire masterclass, one-stopping at Monza.
Leclerc’s hadn’t traditionally been within the prime class of F1 tire managers, though there are neglected races that stood out on this rating earlier in his profession. One instance is the 2020 seventieth Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, the place he pulled off a outstanding one-stopper with lengthy ultimate stint to internet a fourth place that was much better than the uncompetitive Ferrari, efficiency neutered by enforced energy unit operation modifications forward of the season, deserved. Nevertheless, such showings have been sporadic and he’s developed his sport to the purpose of contemplating tire administration turning from a weak spot right into a power. And that goes hand-in-hand with Ferrari’s personal strategic features.
“There have been a number of weaknesses,” stated Leclerc after I requested him about this in Brazil final yr. “First, after I arrived within the crew, tire administration on my aspect was all the time a weak spot and now it really grew to become one in every of my strengths. Technique-wise, we’re in a a lot better place at present. Ravin [Jain, head of strategy] and his crew are doing an distinctive job and we now have carried out an enormous step ahead.”
Leclerc has the proper benchmark for the place he stands on tire administration this yr. Hamilton is a previous grasp at this, one thing informal observers may not acknowledge given how usually he gripes in regards to the prognosis of Pirellis in a stint over the radio. Maybe together with Verstappen, he’s the market-leader in F1. This will probably be a check for Leclerc, however lately even on weekends the place Sainz may beat him in qualifying, usually Leclerc had the race-pace benefit.
Leclerc’s contribution to the crew the cockpit has additionally improved. Whereas he hasn’t reached the extent of erstwhile team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr, Leclerc has improved from being one of many weaker communicators and not using a agency grasp on goings-on round him to a way more succesful one. The ensuing assertiveness, which he has consciously labored on, will stand him in good stead, though he should stability up the need to make the precise name with guaranteeing he solely does so when he has the info and judgement to take action.
His wheel-to-wheel qualities additionally shouldn’t be underestimated. Bahrain 2022, when he out-thought Verstappen in a battle to the flag to win, stands out for instance of what he’s able to with regards to technique in a detailed battle. He’s proven he can weigh up danger and reward successfully, understanding when to powerful it out and when to offer room earlier than retaking the benefit later.
Leclerc’s already received the hearts of the tifosi, however he’ll obtain Maranello immortality if he can win a championship with Ferrari. Picture by Ferrari
“I all the time get pleasure from wheel-to-wheel [racing],” he stated. “It’s all the time a really thrilling second of the weekend the place you’ve received to adapt to completely different drivers, you get to know drivers and also you adapt your driving model a bit as properly. When tons is at stake, you possibly can take extra danger , that’s what I get pleasure from probably the most.”
Leclerc’s evolving sport has not but been examined within the depth of a world championship battle, which is one thing he’ll hope to be on this yr. However there are additionally weaknesses that he should nonetheless chip away at. For instance, in an understeering automobile he hasn’t all the time managed to extract the identical efficiency as Sainz may over the earlier three years. What’s extra, by his personal admission he struggles in low-grip circumstances, for instance at Monza or Mexico Metropolis.
“It’s not one in every of my strengths, qualifying on very low-grip tracks,” stated Leclerc. “I are likely to push quite a bit in qualifying and in Monza and Mexico I all the time battle quite a bit. I’ve received to assume much more with a purpose to end a lap and making an attempt to include a bit extra my will to push extraordinarily laborious in qualifying, as a result of it simply doesn’t work out on these tracks. You slide loads as a result of there’s very low grip. You’ve simply received to be slightly bit much less on the restrict on these tracks, and I battle a bit extra to try this.”
These are the particular circumstances the place Leclerc nonetheless must chip away at his sport to emerge as the very best model of himself. He’s held in excessive esteem by his rivals, outdated karting rival Max Verstappen and Hamilton included, however has by no means absolutely been a part of the championship-fight narrative.
It’s a truism to name any driver’s season a defining one, however the stars seem to have aligned for Leclerc in 2025. He ought to have a shot on the title, however the arrival of Hamilton will forged an additional highlight on him. It may properly be to his benefit, permitting him to be taught a factor or two from the seven-times world champions to easy out the remaining tough edges in his sport whereas displaying the world he can beat a seven-times world championship.
Hamilton may complicate issues – even at 40, he’s removed from a spent power in F1 regardless of his struggles of late with Mercedes – however Leclerc is aware of that is his second. So far as he’s involved, Ferrari is his crew and offered the automobile is fast sufficient, he’ll count on to realize his future and turn out to be world champion.
And to try this, there was all the time the prospect he’d must beat Hamilton a technique or one other.
