Charles Leclerc: There is life beyond the track

About fashion: 'It's how I express myself without speaking', music: 'I play the piano. I compose my own songs', and his passion for flying: 'And to think that flying used to scare me.' The vice world champion reveals who he is away from Ferrari.

Fashion as a manifesto. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, Formula 1's Mister Pole Position in 2019 and 2022, is the perfect testimonial. Just look at the pictures in this photo shoot, taken over the festive season at the Maranello headquarters, where the Monegasque driver arrived by helicopter directly from the ski slopes. In addition to his skills behind the wheel, for which he is considered one of the greatest talents out there, is that angel face with a restless expression that makes him look vaguely like James Dean and breaks the hearts of the teenage girls.

Leclerc, what is fashion for you?
A way of expressing myself without speaking. I understood this when I started to travel all over the world, thanks to Formula 1, visiting countries and cities I didn't know before. I realised that dressing well meant something different depending on the various cultures and traditions. That's when fashion really started to appeal to me, I would say from 2017 onwards even though I've always liked it.

What came next?
I started attending fashion shows, then I became a testimonial for Giorgio Armani and so I became increasingly closer to this environment.

You also take great care of the graphics on your racing helmets. What is the design you are most fond of?
Probably the one I used in France this year, with the reproduction on both halves of the photographs of my father Hervé and Jules Bianchi, two extremely important people for me who are no longer with us (the unfortunate French driver, his sporting godfather, died as a result of injuries sustained in the Suzuka accident in 2014; ed.) The creation of the helmets is a joint effort between myself and Adrien Paviot, a very talented designer.

The first colour that comes to mind when talking about Ferrari is red. But for your 488 Pista you have chosen a different one...
At that time I was wearing a matte black helmet with the Monegasque flag going from the front to the back. So I decided to order the car exactly the same. I must say that the choice was a good one, because I still like it very much.

Is there any detail of the driver's outfit you pay more attention to?
In this case, fit is a more important technical aspect than aesthetics. We have two suits. One for the presentations and videos, which is more snug and pretty to look at, and the other is wider and more comfortable to use when we drive Formula 1. In fact, you have to avoid restrictions in your movements and be comfortable during the two-hour race, where you sweat a lot. The choice of materials is also crucial. Puma's support guarantees all this.

Do you have a preference for shoes and gloves?
I like the shoes to have very thin soles so that I can feel every sensation when I press the throttle or brake pedal, while I have no special requirements on my hands. As for the colour, we never go wrong because we are always in red...

What did you think when you first saw yourself in a Ferrari suit?
It was a very big emotion, because it was my childhood dream to get into Formula 1 and race for the Prancing Horse, even though at that time I was not yet an official Scuderia driver, since I had just joined the Ferrari Driver Academy. But it was an important step in my career. I also thought of my father, because we shared this dream.

Do you have any good-luck charms you don't part with?
I had some as a kid. My grandmother used to sew a cross inside my overalls, underneath the sponsor logos, but this tradition has disappeared since she is no longer with us.

Do you like art?
I don't have much free time, but when I can I go to see exhibitions and shows. One of my favourite artists is Jean-Michel Basquiat. Among the more contemporary ones, I like Jason Boyd Kinsella for his very particular style.

How do you express your creativity?
Mainly through music. I play the piano and compose my own pieces of music. I will never be as good at drawing with a pencil.

How do you choose the clothes you wear every day?
There is a very classic part of me, which seeks simplicity and comfort, and another more creative part which leads me to play with streetwear. I let myself be guided by the mood of the day, by how I feel, because dressing is a way of communicating something with your image.

Favourite colours or ones you would never wear?
These days I prefer grey, beige and white. I'm not a big fan of fuchsia, in the sense that I wouldn't see myself dressed all in fuchsia, but I've worn that too.

How does it feel to walk the catwalk?
I'm not comfortable. Too many eyes on me. But I like to watch the show and observe the most peculiar items of clothing. I was at the Ferrari Style show in Milan last year and before that at Armani.

Will we see your own clothing line like Hamilton's one?
I had started the project, but I stopped. Maybe in the future.

Do you ever talk fashion with Lewis Hamilton?
Sometimes we discuss the brands we like. He really has good taste and a lot of courage to show off the strangest looks when he comes to the racetracks.

Try to describe the feeling of driving a Formula 1 car to someone who does not know racing. Valentino Rossi, when he drove the Ferrari, said: 'It's quicker than thought'.
A nice definition, because it is difficult for a normal person to think about the speed of a Formula 1 car, which goes from one corner to the next in an instant. I always make the comparison with the Rollercoaster. It's like being up there, but keeping everything under control.

What makes you happy about racing?
The adrenaline and the feeling of being free on the track.

Do you like motorbikes?
I have one bike, customised, which I bought in Bali, Indonesia, when I went there on a trip with my best friends. We rented it locally and I wanted to take it with me to Monte Carlo, even though it was a mess to get it registered to drive there.

Why that particular motorbike?
Because of the memories it holds. I had just arrived in Formula 1 and I decided to take all my closest friends on holiday, for the first time outside Europe. We had a great time.

Do you still intend to take out a flying licence?
I've already had a few lessons, now I'm eleven to twelve hours flying, let's say I have the basics. I had to stop, I hope to start again in 2023. There is a lot of theory to study and I obviously like the practice more.

How did it feel?
Wonderful. I like the stall tests, because there is adrenaline, but also controlling the plane in general. And to think that I've always been afraid of flying...

How so?
Even though I have been flying countless times in my life, I was not calm. Now, knowing what pilots do and all the options there are in case of unforeseen events, it reassured me.

Would you like to be invited to take a ride in an aerobatic patrol aircraft like the Frecce Tricolori?
I have already tried something similar, but on those jets it would be incredible.

You still enjoy driving go-karts like you did when you were a kid. Would it be nice to discover the new Leclerc?
I would like to help talented young people, who do not have the means, to emerge and fulfil their dreams. But it is a project that takes time and therefore I see it as possible only in the future.

What does it mean to be the hero of so many young people?
Every time I come to Maranello, there are always kids waiting for me outside the Ferrari factory. In recent years Formula 1 has regained popularity, partly thanks to Netflix. It's nice to see a child's eyes light up when we take a photo. A small gesture, which doesn't cost effort, is enough to give joy to others.

Do you feel like an example to follow?
I try to be myself, behaving well, if this can then serve as inspiration for those who observe me, I am happy.

All rights for the original article to Sportweek #1, I only did the translation form Italian into English.