41 Facts About Charles Leclerc You Should Know

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Charles Leclerc is currently the face of F1’s most famous team, Ferrari. With a long-term contract already secured, Ferrari’s hopes of reaching the top of F1 seemingly lie in Leclerc’s hands. In this article, we’ll list some interesting facts about the Monégasque driver that you should know. 

Table of Contents

1. When Was Charles Leclerc Born? 

Charles Leclerc was born on the 16th of October 1997 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. He is the son of former regional Formula 3 driver Hervé Leclerc. He is the second oldest child in the Leclerc family, and has two brothers, Arthur and Lorenzo.

2. What Is Charles Leclerc Zodiac Sign? 

Charles Leclerc is a Libra. Libras are known for their charm and beauty, as well as for their well-balanced personalities.

3. Charles Leclerc Height & Weight 

Charles Leclerc is 1.79 m (5’10”) tall and weighs 69 kg (152 lbs). He is very much in the middle of the grid in terms of height and weight. 

4. Where Did Charles Leclerc Go To School? 

Charles Leclerc attended the Ecole de Fontvieille primary school in Monaco. He then enrolled at the School Albert 1er de Monaco before joining the Ferrari driver academy in 2016.  

5. Is Charles Leclerc Left Handed? 

Charles Leclerc is not left-handed. He has frequently been spotted signing autographs with his right hand. 

6. What Flag Does Charles Leclerc Race Under? 

Charles Leclerc races under the Monégasque flag. He is the only current driver from Monaco and the fifth Monégasque driver overall to race in Formula 1. He is also the only F1 driver from Monaco to win a race.

7. How Many Languages Does Charles Leclerc Speak? 

Charles Leclerc is trilingual. He is fluent in his native French, as well as English and Italian. He learned Italian as a young driver competing in Italy and from being part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. 

8. When Did Charles Leclerc Start Karting? 

Charles Leclerc began karting in 2005 at the age of eight. He won six titles in his first five years of karting, before moving up to single seater cars in 2014, when he joined the Formula Renault 2.0 category.

9. Did Charles Leclerc And Max Verstappen Do Karting Together? 

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen raced against each other in karting, with Leclerc recently admitting that they hated each other during their karting days. Their karting rivalry came to an end in 2013, when Leclerc finished runner-up to Verstappen in his final karting season.

10. Did Charles Leclerc Win F3? 

Charles Leclerc did win F3, but that was when it was called GP3. He finished fourth in the Formula 3 European Championship in 2015, before being moved up to the GP3 championship after only a single season in F3. He went on to win the GP3 Championship, marking his first major title in motor racing.

11. Did Charles Leclerc Win F2? 

Charles Leclerc won the F2 Championship in his debut season in the category. He won seven races throughout the 2017 season to edge him closer to a coveted Formula 1 seat. The victory was enough to convince Sauber of his talent, and they offered him a contract for the 2018 season.

12. How Did Charles Leclerc Get Into F1? 

Charles Leclerc was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and rose quickly through the ranks of the lower Formula divisions. He was a test driver for Haas during the 2016 season, and for Sauber during the 2017 season. He also tested for Ferrari in 2017, before joining F1 full-time in 2018.

13. What Was Charles Leclerc’s First F1 Team? 

Charles Leclerc’s first F1 team was Sauber (now Alfa Romeo). Leclerc finished 13th in the 2018 Drivers’ Championship in his first season in Formula 1 with 39 points, enough to prove he was ready for the Scuderia Ferrari seat the following season.

14. Did Charles Leclerc Beat Marcus Ericsson? 

Charles Leclerc did beat Marcus Ericsson in their only season as teammates in 2018. Leclerc finished 13th in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 39 points, while Ericsson finished 17th with only nine points. Leclerc outqualified Ericsson in 17 out of 21 races during the 2018 season.

15. Why Did Charles Leclerc Choose Number 16? 

Charles Leclerc chose the number 16 because his birthday falls on the 16th of October. He originally wanted the number seven, but as it was already being used by Kimi Raikkonen went Leclerc entered Formula 1 in 2018, he had to settle for 16, noting that the sum of 1 and 6 is 7.

16. How Did Charles Leclerc Get Into Ferrari? 

Charles Leclerc got into Ferrari as part of their driver academy scheme in 2016. From there he was loaned out to both Haas and Sauber, two teams that Ferrari supplied engines for. After one year at Sauber, Ferrari decided to sign Leclerc for their F1 team, and he still races for them.

17. Is Charles Leclerc A Good F1 Driver? 

Charles Leclerc is one of the best drivers on the current F1 grid. His aggressive style and willingness to push his car to the limit has helped him progress up the ranks of open-wheel racing and into a title challenging team. 

18. Is Charles Leclerc Good In The Rain? 

Charles Leclerc is good in the rain. He has had some good wet races but also some average ones, including his hometown race in Monaco 2022. While he has proved in the past that he can perform in wet conditions, he is yet to show the consistency of some of his counterparts.

19. What Is Charles Leclerc’s Driving Style? 

Charles Leclerc has an aggressive driving style and is unafraid to push his car to its limits, sometimes going too far and losing points because of it. His driving style has gained him the status as one of the best talents on the current Formula 1 grid.

20. Is Charles Leclerc An Aggressive Driver? 

Charles Leclerc is an aggressive but clean driver. He knows how to push the car to its limits but has sometimes shown over eagerness which has cost him dearly, such as during the French Grand Prix in 2022, when he lost the rear of the car and went into the barrier when he was leading the race.

21. How Many Races Has Charles Leclerc Won? 

Charles Leclerc has won 5 F1 races, with his first coming at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, in 2019, and his most recent at the Austrian Grand Prix in 2022. He won seven races in Formula 2, three in GP3 and four in Formula 3.

22. Is Charles Leclerc The Best? 

Charles Leclerc is one of the best drivers on the current grid, but it is too early in his career to be putting his name into the ‘best’ category. Leclerc is yet to establish himself as a true great, having not yet won a World Championship. However, he is still young, and his best is yet to come.

23. Why Is Charles Leclerc So Good? 

Charles Leclerc is a good driver because of his maturity and fearlessness. When he is on full form, he will rarely make errors, displaying a high level of concentration throughout the race. He is also very good at managing his tires and keeping a consistent racing line, with incredible one-lap pace.

24. What Was Charles Leclerc’s Best Race? 

Charles Leclerc’s best race came in 2019 at Monza, when he won in front of Ferrari’s home crowd after a fierce defense against the dominant Mercedes duo. It was his second Grand Prix victory after winning in Belgium the week before. He described the win as the best day of his life.

25. How Many Times Has Charles Leclerc Raced At Monaco? 

Charles Leclerc has raced in Monaco 5 times in F1 and once in F2. Unfortunately, the Monaco Grand Prix has been the home to some of Leclerc’s lowest moments in the sport, none more so than failing to start the race in 2021 after qualifying on pole. 

26. Has Charles Leclerc Finished Monaco? 

Charles Leclerc has only finished three out of six races in F1 and F2 at the Circuit de Monaco, despite it being his hometown track. His most heartbreaking moment came after he had qualified on pole in 2021 but failed to start the race due to a driveshaft problem. 

27. Has Charles Leclerc Won In Monaco? 

Charles Leclerc has never won in Monaco, even during his F2 days. He has continuously suffered bad luck at the famous street circuit, with an 18th place finish in Formula 2. In F1, he has had two DNFs, one DNS, as well as an 18th placed finish, and most recently, a fourth-place finish in 2022.

28. Was Charles Leclerc Rich Before F1? 

Charles Leclerc was not rich before F1. This may shock many as he hails from Monaco, one of the richest areas in Europe. Despite this, he had a modest upbringing, with his path into Formula 1 mainly funded by the Ferrari Driver Academy among other sponsors, such as watch brand Richard Mille.

29. Is Charles Leclerc A Pay Driver? 

Charles Leclerc is not a pay driver. Although he was born and raised in the wealthy nation of Monaco, Leclerc worked his way into F1 via the traditional route, starting in karting before climbing the lower formula racing divisions. The Ferrari Driver Academy helped to fund his ascent.

30. How Much Does Charles Leclerc Earn? 

Charles Leclerc is reportedly earning $12 million a year from Ferrari, in a contract lasting until 2026. Although he is fighting for the World Championship title, Leclerc’s wage puts him just seventh on the list of the highest salaries in Formula 1

31. Charles Leclerc Net Worth 

Charles Leclerc has a reported net worth of around $12 million, although this is set to rise dramatically when you look at the value and length of his F1 contract. He also has multiple sponsorship deals with big brands including luxury Italian fashion brand Giorgio Armani.

32. How Much Does Charles Leclerc Make Per Race? 

On his current salary, Charles Leclerc will earn around $545,000 per race. This is just from his Ferrari wage, discounting the number of sponsorship agreements he currently has. He is the seventh highest earner on the Formula 1 grid.

33. When Does Charles Leclerc’s Contract End? 

Charles Leclerc’s contract with Ferrari ends in 2026. Leclerc is seen by Ferrari as the future of the Scuderia, having previously signed the longest contract in Ferrari history. The extension was part of a current trend of drivers being offered multi-year contracts, rather than short term deals.

34. Is Charles Leclerc Leaving Ferrari? 

Charles Leclerc will not be leaving Ferrari any time soon. He is currently contracted to race with them until the end of the 2026 season, but continued good performances could see Ferrari extend his contract even further, as he is currently one of the brightest talents in the sport.

35. When Will Charles Leclerc Retire? 

At only 24 years of age, it is unlikely that Charles Leclerc will retire any time soon. Having reached the pinnacle of motorsport at one of the best teams in F1, it is likely that Leclerc’s desire will keep him at the top of his game for many more years to come.

36. Will Charles Leclerc Be World Champion? 

There is a high chance that Charles Leclerc can become World Champion one day. The possibility of doing it in the 2022 season is all but gone, with a mixture of driver errors and strategic errors from the team allowing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to run away with the championship lead.

37. Is Charles Leclerc Better Than Lewis Hamilton? 

Charles Leclerc is yet to match the legacy of Lewis Hamilton. Although Hamilton is in the twilight years of his career, he is still racing at the very top level. However, the 2022 season has given the impression that Hamilton is about to step aside for Leclerc to become Verstappen’s main rival.

38. Is Charles Leclerc Better Than Max Verstappen? 

Charles Leclerc is arguably not quite as good as Max Verstappen. Verstappen’s ruthlessness and consistency has seen him win his first World Championship while looking virtually unbeatable on the track. However, the two could share a fierce rivalry for many years to come.

39. Is Lando Norris Better Than Charles Leclerc? 

It is difficult to say whether Charles Leclerc is a better driver than Lando Norris. Norris is one of the most consistent performers in F1 and has managed a multitude of high finishes despite being in an inferior car to Leclerc in recent times. However, Norris is yet to win his first race in F1. 

40. Who Is Better: Leclerc Or Gasly? 

Throughout their time in F1, Charles Leclerc has had the upper hand on Pierre Gasly, consistently finishing higher than him in the rankings. With that said, Leclerc has been driving in a better car for a more competitive team for the most part, with Gasly’s time at Red Bull being short.

41. Who Is Better: Leclerc Or Sainz?

Charles Leclerc is currently Ferrari’s number one driver and consistently outperforms Carlos Sainz, despite the fact they both use the same car. Leclerc has won 5 races compared to Sainz’s one, and has started on pole position 16 times compared to Sainz’s sole pole position.  

Final Thoughts

Charles Leclerc is one of the most exciting talents in Formula 1, and he continually shows why he is up there with the best on the current grid. He has had a decent career so far, but with age on his side, he will likely continue to build on his success for many years to come.