Charles Leclerc Biography

Charles Leclerc was destined for a Formula 1 career, a destiny intertwined with Ferrari. Having followed his godfather Jules Bianchi into the Ferrari Driver Academy, 2019's promotion to the Scuderia began an emotional journey for the Monaco-native. Leclerc has dedicated much of his career success to Bianchi, who lost his life as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix whilst driving for Marussia. With titles under his belt in GP3 and Formula 2 on his way to Formula 1, Leclerc has been earmarked as a future champion, and an impressive debut season with Ferrari seems to have shown truth to the hype.

Impressive debut with Sauber

Having romped to the F2 title in 2017, a campaign that featured memorable drives in Bahrain and Baku especially, much was expected of Leclerc, even though he was joining a Sauber team that had finished bottom of the constructors' standings the year prior. Key in Leclerc's move to the Swiss outfit, however, were strengthened ties to engine supplier Ferrari, who had signed Leclerc to its academy in 2016 and given testing duties along with it.

After a struggle in the first three races of the season, Leclerc suddenly found his groove in Baku as he scored a sixth-place finish to become just the second Monegasque to take points from a grand prix since Louis Chiron in 1950.

Leclerc comfortably outperformed experienced team-mate Marcus Ericsson, outqualifying the Swede 17-4 and taking points in 10 races.

Ferrari come calling

Leclerc's impressive start to life in F1 sparked many rumours that he would replace former world champion Kimi Raikkonen in the Scuderia's line-up, and it was confirmed in September that Ferrari would break with tradition and give the young Leclerc a chance to prove his worth alongside four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.

And prove his worth he did. At Bahrain, in only his second race for Ferrari, he secured pole position by three-tenths of a second ahead of Vettel. Leclerc dominated the first half of the race before a problem with his power-unit cruelly robbed him of a maiden win.

A mistake in qualifying in Azerbaijan meant that another possible victory slipped by. However, at the Belgian Grand Prix Leclerc held off Lewis Hamilton to take an emotional victory just a day after the death of friend Anthoine Hubert in the Formula 2 race.

At the following round in Italy, Leclerc put up a dogged defence - again against Hamilton - to deliver Ferrari their first victory at Monza since Fernando Alonso triumphed in 2010. Leclerc had announced himself on the biggest of stages.

The season wasn't without controversy though, with team orders and pit stop strategies rising to the fore at the Singapore and Russian Grand Prix's, before the clash with Vettel at Interlagos causing further friction.

Without doubt, Leclerc is a real talent, but will he be given the tools by Ferrari to challenge in 2020?

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