Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc is a racing driver from Monaco who clinched two championship titles in ladder single-seater series on a way to Formula 1. He won GP3 Series in 2016 and FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017.

Since March 2016, Leclerc is a member of Ferrari Driver Academy, and he joined Scuderia Ferrari for the 2019 Formula 1 season, after spending one year with Sauber F1 Team. He scored his maiden F1 victory in the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc

Runner-up in the 2014 Formula Renault 2.0 Alps

Born in October 1997, Leclerc started his racing career in 2005, entering the French karting championship. He was following the footsteps of his father Herve, who was also a racing driver during the 1980s and 1990s. Leclerc collected numerous wins and titles in karting competitions, finishing second in the 2013 World championship, what was his last year of karting.

In 2014, Leclerc joined British team Fortec Motorsports to compete in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps. In fourteen races, he was a race winner two times, finishing second in the points behind Nyck de Vries and the best in the Junior category. Leclerc also made a guest appearance in three rounds of the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, scoring three podiums in six races.

Rookie of the Year in the 2015 F3 European Championship

The next step was the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in 2015, with the Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing. Driving the #7 Dallara-Volkswagen, Leclerc scored four wins and thirteen podiums in 33 races to finish fourth in the overall standings and the best rookie in the championship.

In November 2015, Leclerc traveled to Macau to participated in the famous Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. He was second in the Qualifying race and second in the Main race, behind Felix Rosenqvist.

In 2016, Leclerc was GP3 Series champion with ART Grand Prix

2016 GP3 Series champion with ART Grand Prix

In December 2015, Leclerc took part in post-season testing with ART Grand Prix and Arden International. After that, he joined ART Grand Prix for the 2016 GP3 Series. Driving the #1 car, Leclerc scored his first GP3 win in the season-opening race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Later in the season, he added two more wins and five podiums on his account, winning the championship ahead of his teammate Alex Albon.

Ferrari Driver Academy member since 2016

While he was in the GP3 Series, Leclerc became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. He was a development driver for Scuderia Ferrari but also for Haas F1 Team, which was using Ferrari engines. Leclerc participated in three Grand Prix events (GB, Hungary, Germany) in Friday's practice sessions with Haas.

Despite rumors that he would progress directly from GP3 to F1, Leclerc landed to Prema Powerteam to compete in the newly-established FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017.

Charles Leclerc - 2017 Formula 2 champion

Dominant performance in the 2017 Formula 2 Championship

Leclerc's performance in the Formula 2 was dominant. Driving the #1 car, he was on pole eight times in ten rounds, winning six times in twenty races. He secured a championship title during the penultimate round at Jerez, before the season's finale at Yas Marina Circuit.

During the season, Leclerc continued to serve as a test driver for Scuderia Ferrari and Sauber. He participated in the mid-season F1 test at Hungaroring, being the fastest driver during the first day of the test in a Ferrari SF70H. In October, he participated in Friday's practice at Malaysian Grand Prix with Sauber.

Charles' father Herve Leclerc has died in June 2017

A season with Sauber before joining Ferrari

With F2 Championship trophy in his hands, Leclerc made a step into the Formula 1 in 2018, joining the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team to drive the #16 Sauber C37-Ferrari.

The highlight of the season was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April, when Leclerc scored his first F1 points by finishing sixth. He was in the points few more time but the sixth place remained his best result.

Charles Leclerc became Ferrari driver in 2019

Two wins at legendary tracks in 2019

During his season with Sauber, Leclerc was announced as a new driver of Scuderia Ferrari in the 2019 F1 season, replacing Kimi Raikkonen and joining Sebastian Vettel as a teammate.

He scored his maiden F1 victory in the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa and the next one in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Leclerc was the most successful driver in Qualifying sessions, taking seven pole positions over the season. In the end, he finished fourth in the points, behind two Mercedes drivers and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, but in front of his teammate Vettel.

Photos: Charles Leclerc Officiel FB,