“Dad Was My Number 1 Fan”: Charles Leclerc Emotionally Recalls Story of Unexpected Racing Debut

If someone comes up to you and asks what your fondest memory of Formula 1 is, as a fan, you can’t help but smile and think about that very first day that made you a petrolhead. While only 20 drivers make it onto the grid every year, somewhere in our hearts, we all want to go racing. Charles Leclerc, despite being out there on the track, keeps that very first memory close to his heart and recalls his debut. 

Charles Leclerc is arguably one of the only drivers, alongside Lando Norris and George Russell, who is capable of challenging Max Verstappen for a title, given the right car. Leclerc began his F1 career in 2018 with Sauber after winning the FIA F2 championship in 2017. It wasn’t long before he made his debut for his dream team Ferrari and now has the hopes of the whole of Italy resting on his shoulders. 

But like everything else, it all had to begin somewhere. Charles Leclerc, in a recent interview, recalled his very first memory of racing and how he fell in love with the tarmac and explained the very moment his heart was replaced by an engine. The story goes back to his father, Herve, who passed away before seeing his son make it to the F1 tarmac. 

Talking about his dad and first racing memory, Leclerc told Lofficielitalia.com, “Dad was my number 1 fan. When I was four years old, I told my father that I wasn’t feeling very well and didn’t want to go to school. Of course, I was pretending like all children do. But I don’t know why; he went along with me and took me to the go-kart track of his best friend, Philippe Bianchi. At the sight of other children racing on the track, I wanted to try it, too. For my first car, I chose the color red. And I think I fell in love with the sport after just three laps.” [Translated by Google]

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While Leclerc’s dad, Herve, never got to see his son race in F1, there’s yet another interesting, heart-melting story about the father-son duo. 

Charles Leclerc lied to his dad about anF1 drive

Charles Leclerc’s dad passed away in 2017 while Leclerc was still in F2. Considering he would be the undisputed champion, he couldn’t have stayed in the series for another year. The next step was F1. However, Herve was on his deathbed, and Leclerc didn’t have a contract finalized with any F1 team. So, just to make his dad happy, he lied and said that he had an F1 drive for 2018. After his dad passed away, the lie became a truth as Leclerc signed with Sauber for 2018. 

Charles Leclerc explained this story: “My father has done everything for me to arrive here. Unfortunately, he’s not here anymore to see where I arrived. But yeah, I remember [in 2017], before I actually signed for Sauber, I had told him I signed in F1 to make him happy. We knew the end was near, and I’m very happy that I managed to do that and that now I’m in Monaco racing in Formula 1. And that, he can see that from up there.”

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