Charles Leclerc

Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc (French pronunciation: [ʃaʁl(ə) ləklɛʁ]; born 16 October 1997) is a Monégasque racing driver who competes in Formula One for Ferrari. Leclerc was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2022 with Ferrari, and has won eight Grands Prix across eight seasons.

Born and raised in Monte Carlo, Leclerc began competitive kart racing aged seven. After a successful karting career—culminating in his victory at the junior World Cup in 2011—Leclerc graduated to junior formulae. Progressing directly to Formula Renault 2.0, he finished runner-up to Nyck de Vries in the Alps Series and achieved several podium finishes in the Eurocup. Leclerc graduated to FIA European Formula 3 in 2015, winning several races as he finished fourth in his rookie season. He won his first championship at the 2016 GP3 Series with ART. Leclerc then won the inaugural FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017 with Prema, becoming the fourth driver to win the GP2/F2 championship in their rookie season and breaking several records.

Leclerc made his Formula One debut in 2018 with Sauber as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, scoring several points finishes in the C37. He joined Ferrari for 2019 to partner Sebastian Vettel and became the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history at the Bahrain Grand Prix; he took his maiden career win in Belgium, before ending Ferrari's record nine-year drought at the Italian Grand Prix, which saw him nicknamed "il Predestinato" in Italian media. After winless seasons for Ferrari in 2020 and 2021, Leclerc took several victories and finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the 2022 World Drivers' Championship. Following five pole positions and six podiums in his 2023 campaign, Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2024, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win the race in 93 years; he achieved further victories in Italy and the United States as he finished third in the championship.

As of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Leclerc has achieved eight race wins, 11 fastest laps, and 50 podiums in Formula One; he also holds the record for the most pole positions without a World Drivers' Championship (27). Leclerc is contracted to remain at Ferrari until at least the end of the 2026 season. Outside of motor racing, Leclerc collaborated with pianist Sofiane Pamart on an extended play, Dreamers (2024), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.

Early life

Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc was born on 16 October 1997 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. His father, Hervé Leclerc, was a racing driver who competed in Formula Three in the 1980s and 1990s, whilst his mother, Pascale Leclerc, is a former hairdresser who operated a hair salon in Fontvieille. His paternal step-grandfather founded the Novares Group, a French manufacturing company; he helped cover miscellaneous costs throughout Leclerc's karting career, but not the racing itself. Leclerc studied at the Lycée Albert Premier in Monaco-Ville.

Hervé died after a long illness, aged 54, four days before Leclerc won the feature race at the 2017 Baku Formula 2 round. Prior to his death, Leclerc lied to his father that he had signed a Formula One contract for the 2018 season; he signed with Sauber later that year. His older maternal half-brother, Lorenzo Tolotta-Leclerc, was best friends with Jules Bianchi—Leclerc's godfather until his death in 2015 and his mechanic in kart racing. His younger brother, Arthur, is also a racing driver who has competed in open-wheel and sportscar racing, winning the Formula Regional Asian Championship in 2022.

Junior racing career

Karting (2005–2013)

2005–2009: Early success in national championships

Leclerc first began karting aged five and started racing at Brignoles—a kart circuit owned by Jules Bianchi's father. He began his competitive career in 2005, winning the regional PACA championship in the Mini class with 15 wins from 18 races, which he successfully defended in 2006. He advanced to Minime in 2007, winning the Trophée Claude Secq and finishing runner-up at the PACA championship. The following year, he finished fifth in the Bridgestone Cup and runner-up in the French Championship, as well as winning the PACA title. Progressing to the Cadet class in 2009, Leclerc won the French Championship and Bridgestone Cup, as well as the regional Rhône-Alpes title. He partnered with Richard Mille that year, which supported him through the remainder of his karting career.

2010–2011: Progression to international series

Leclerc progressed to international competition in 2010, entering the junior KF3 class, where he became the youngest winner of the CIK-FIA Monaco Kart Cup—his home event at the Circuit de Monaco. He finished twenty-ninth on his World Cup debut, fifth in the inaugural Academy Trophy, and runner-up to Pierre Gasly in the French Championship. Leclerc was scouted by Nicolas Todt in 2011, joining his All Road Management firm upon recommendation from Bianchi. Todt negotiated his move to Intrepid that year, winning the World Cup at Sarno; he later described it as "by far [his] best karting race ever". He further won the Academy Trophy and the Masters of Paris-Bercy, as well as finishing runner-up to Nicklas Nielsen in the WSK Final Cup.

2012–2013: Senior titles with ART

Leclerc graduated to the senior KF2 category in 2012 with the factory-backed ART Grand Prix team, winning the WSK Euro Series; he was involved in an incident with Max Verstappen at the second round, which resulted in both drivers' disqualifications. He finished runner-up on his European Championship debut amidst a title battle with Verstappen and Ben Barnicoat, repeating this result at the under-18 World Championship, where he lost by a single point. He achieved fifth-placed finishes in both the World Cup and WSK Final Cup, and fourth at the SKUSA SuperNationals.

In 2013, Leclerc progressed to the KZ senior gearbox class, aged 15. He opened the season with victory at the South Garda Winter Cup in KZ2. He finished twelfth in the WSK Euro Series, and fourth in the WSK Master Series. Leclerc finished sixth in the European Championship after claiming a podium in the final round at Genk. In a duel to become the youngest-ever KZ World Champion, he finished runner-up to Verstappen at Varennes-sur-Allier. Upon his graduation to junior formulae, Leclerc credited their "numerous clashes" with boosting his experience and character. Kartcom opined that "his rise [was] meteoric for a driver who [did not] spend much time training on the track".

Formula Renault 2.0 (2014)

Leclerc graduated to junior formulae in 2014, signing for Fortec in Formula Renault 2.0, aged 16. He debuted in the Alps Series, retiring from both races in the opening round at Imola. He achieved his maiden podium finish in the second race at Pau. After fourth-placed finishes at the Red Bull Ring, Leclerc scored a double podium during the Spa-Francorchamps round. He followed this up with his maiden formula racing victories at Monza, the latter from pole position. He finished second to Nyck de Vries in both Mugello races before claiming points finishes at the season-ending Jerez round. During the season, Leclerc took two victories from seven podium finishes as he finished runner-up to De Vries—a third-year Formula Renault 2.0 driver—and beat Matevos Isaakyan to the rookies' championship.

Fortec also entered Leclerc into select rounds of the Eurocup, part of the World Series by Renault, as a guest driver. He set a track record at Barcelona-Catalunya in pre-season testing. After finishing outside of the points on debut at Spa-Francorchamps, Leclerc took his maiden podium in the series at the Nürburgring, finishing second to Dennis Olsen. He then took further second-placed finishes in both races at the Hungaroring, ending his campaign with three podiums from six starts.