MARANELLO, Italy — It’s protected to say Charles Leclerc is an ace on the monitor, a Components 1 star in his seventh season for Scuderia Ferrari, however throughout a WWD photograph shoot and interview, the 27-year-old Monégasque proved he’s equally cool and picked up off responsibility. After coaching for hours with the simulator, Leclerc gamely posed on the Ferrari plant in Maranello, open to attempting any trend look and admitting he likes “to be shocked” by the questions he’s requested.
As a part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Leclerc gained the Components 2 and GP3 sequence, and was this system’s first driver to race for Scuderia Ferrari fulltime. Together with his expertise and his character, affable and approachable, he has gained the hearts of Ferrari followers — referred to as the “tifosi” — all over the world, and much more so with two victories on the Italian Monza Grand Prix in 2018 and 2024. Final yr he gained the Monaco Grand Prix, turning into the primary Monégasque driver to win the race in 93 years.
Right here, Leclerc opens up about his ardour of a lifetime, how stress shouldn’t be a phrase in his vocabulary and the way he unwinds when the engines are off.
Brunello Cucinelli leather-based jacket and go well with; Umit Benan shirt; Zegna loafers.
Daniele Mango/WWD
WWD: In 2020, for the primary time you fronted the Giorgio Armani Made to Measure advert marketing campaign and you’ve got been named an envoy for a number of manufacturers, most not too long ago for Chivas Regal. Additionally, you’re photographed on so many alternative events, official and never. Has being in entrance of the digicam turn into second nature?
Charles Leclerc: It’s one thing I acquired used to. Originally, I used to be not naturally relaxed. The primary few occasions it feels somewhat bit unusual, however then you definitely get used to it. It’s now fairly just a few years that I’m in Components 1 with Ferrari, the media consideration is clearly greater and better, and Components 1 is much more standard than it was again then once I began. So I’m much more relaxed with it now, and it’s additionally a part of my life.
WWD: In truth, there was an rising curiosity in Components 1 and all that surrounds the races — additionally fueled by or resulting in the Netflix sequence, and films about Ferrari, Lamborghini and legendary rivalries. How do you clarify all this consideration now and the way has your notion of this business modified through the years? How has it modified you?
C.L.: It’s all the time been such an fascinating sport, however it’s additionally a really closed sport scene from outdoors. I believe [people] by no means actually knew what was taking place contained in the paddock, until you had been inside that paddock, and Netflix gave a really, very completely different view to what was taking place contained in the paddock, exhibiting what sort of conditions we discover ourselves in, and humanized the entire world of Components 1, placing faces on names, which I believe was missing somewhat bit again then, and since then, it actually exploded. I believe much more younger persons are following Components 1, which is a superb factor to see. And sure, I believe opening Components 1 and telling a unique story than the one on the monitor has helped Components 1 to be a extra standard type.
WWD: There are numerous celebrities taking within the races. Is that shocking to you?
C.L.: Probably not. It’s not one thing that I take into consideration once I’m contained in the paddock. I’m actually right into a bubble the place you’ve acquired to make abstraction of all the pieces that’s round you, as a result of, as I used to be saying earlier, there’s lots of media consideration, particularly when you’re a Ferrari Components 1 driver. It’s all the time greater than every other drivers on the grid, and also you’ve acquired to do abstraction from the noise that there’s round you, whether or not that is media or celebrities or whoever. You’ve acquired to be in your individual bubble and ensure that when you get into the automotive, you’re acting at your 100%. That’s an important factor.
Umit Benan go well with; Bally shirt; Zegna loafers.
Daniele Mango/WWD
WWD: Now in your seventh season with Ferrari, your loyalty to the crew is for all to see. How have you ever advanced throughout the crew each as a driver and on a private degree and what have you ever realized about your self? Are you able to inform us about rising up in Monaco, aspiring to at some point turn into a part of the Ferrari world and reaching that objective?
C.L.: I believe what was very particular to my private life was the truth that I’m from Monaco. Monaco appears like an enormous metropolis when there’s the Components 1 Grand Prix. However aside from some massive occasions, like there are possibly two, three massive occasions per yr, it’s extra like a village the place everyone is aware of one another, and it was an excellent surroundings to develop up in. Clearly, I used to be very fortunate to have that, however the truth that I may see Components 1 races firsthand yearly from the balcony of my mates’ residence that had a view on the Grand Prix made that dream much more tangible. I may clearly see and witness what I wished to do and the place I wished to go. And that gave me an enormous motivation as quickly as I began.
I keep in mind one Thursday I used to be at college, and it was very tough to listen to the trainer, as a result of there can be the engine noise throughout a race. And I believe these are recollections that basically motivated me all through my complete profession. And for some purpose, the pink automotive has all the time been one thing very, very particular for me, even earlier than I knew the historical past of Ferrari. Truly the identify Ferrari, it was all in regards to the pink automotive. And rising up, then you definitely get to be taught the historical past of it, the people who had been a part of this unimaginable crew. And I turned a fan myself, dreaming of being a Components 1 driver with Ferrari at some point.
WWD: You began your profession with karts — are you able to inform us about your trajectory?
C.L.: I began by full coincidence. To be utterly sincere, I didn’t need to go to high school that day and I advised my father I used to be in poor health. He believed me, however I wasn’t. And by coincidence, his greatest good friend, Philippe Bianchi, was managing a karting monitor, and I went with him, as a result of my mother was at work, and I attempted karting for the primary time that day, not being in poor health in any respect.
WWD: How outdated had been you?
C.L.: I used to be in all probability three-and-a-half or 4. I used to be very, very younger and my father advised me afterward that I had advised him on the way in which again that that is the job I wished to do once I was older — though I don’t take into account what I’m doing a job. It’s actually residing for my ardour, and I really like what I do. However from that day onward, racing has all the time been a part of my life.
WWD: How has it fashioned you personally? How have you ever advanced through the years? How do you cope with stress? Have you ever realized to try this? And in that case, how?
C.L.: I believe that is very particular to every particular person. I’m very fortunate that I don’t actually really feel stress. I’ve all the time had the mentality of clearly doing my greatest. Placing any extra stress on myself gained’t assist me to extract extra potential out of myself. I’m simply massively motivated and massively devoted in doing the very best with a purpose to have one of the best outcomes on the monitor, and I’ll do no matter it takes to have one of the best outcomes on the monitor. However that’s my mentality, and sure, I’ve all the time advised myself that added stress or additional stress gained’t assist me to extract any extra out of it.
Brunello Cucinelli leather-based jacket and go well with; Umit Benan shirt; Zegna loafers.
Daniele Mango/WWD
WWD: Nicely, that’s additionally very sensible. What are your primary off-duty pastimes? I do know you’re additionally a piano participant and have already got 9 songs beneath your belt. How did this come about? Does music allow you to unwind?
C.L.: Positively. Music is and has all the time been an enormous a part of my life. All through my total life, racing, music had an important half. I haven’t all the time been enjoying the piano, however I’ve all the time been listening to music, and it’s all the time been a method for me to disconnect from racing. Clearly the Components 1 life is kind of quick paced. I’m going from one place to a different each weekend, and it’s good to decelerate. And for me, music has all the time been one of the best ways for me to decelerate and to not take into consideration something that’s racing-related. Throughout the pandemic, I had lots of free time, and I purchased a piano, and since that second onward, I began to be taught to play, and I’ve completely cherished it.
WWD: Did you be taught with a trainer?
C.L.: No, I’m self-taught. I took in all probability 4 or 5 classes at one level as a result of I wished to attempt to discover ways to learn music, however I’m a really impatient individual, so after these classes, I made a decision I used to be simply going to do it myself, and attempt to give you my very own songs. I understand how to learn music somewhat bit, however I don’t actually play present songs. Each time I play the piano, mainly I make a tune.
WWD: Quick paced on the piano, too. You might have additionally diversified what you are promoting pursuits, investing in actions starting from Lec ice lotions and watch platform Chrono24 to administration company All Time. How have you ever approached these ventures? How do you perceive what enterprise can be fascinating and go well with you?
C.L.: Chrono 24 is somewhat bit completely different. It was actually extra of an funding, greater than something. However Lec and All Time are crucial to me, as a result of these are clearly two ventures that I really began myself with companions. The world of enterprise is all the time one thing that fascinated me and that I wished to place a foot in, however I used to be simply ready for the fitting alternatives. And like all the pieces I do in life, it must have sense. And I wanted these myself first, after which we thought of [opening up] to others. I’ve all the time cherished ice cream since youthful however being an athlete, you’ve acquired to take care somewhat bit about your determine and what you eat. And so I needed to sacrifice the ice cream typically. And I used to be like, “Why? Why is there not this product available on the market?” And so we got here up with this concept of low-calorie ice cream, which goes tremendous effectively and I’m tremendous pleased with it. All Time is mainly the identical. There’s a lot happening outdoors an athlete’s profession. Speaking with folks round me which have shared the identical experiences as I did, I noticed you’ll be able to really feel somewhat bit alone as a result of all the pieces is coming unexpectedly, and athletes must be supported correctly for all of these items that occur outdoors racing and sports activities.
WWD: In what method?
C.L.: In many alternative methods. We’re mainly serving to athletes to handle their non-public life in a greater method outdoors their profession. It’s extra like a household workplace, mainly. And clearly, Monaco has an enormous group of athletes and it’s additionally a spot the place we are able to present our experiences and assist each other, athletes of various sports activities, not solely racing.
WWD: Is that one thing that earlier on once you began you felt was lacking?
C.L.: Sure, I believe all of us have help on the profession facet. However then when you get to Components 1 clearly, not solely your profession adjustments, and in addition when you’re knowledgeable athlete, many different issues change. My life has modified massively since I acquired to Components 1. You’ve acquired to prepare your self otherwise, as a result of clearly, it’s not essentially attainable to do what I used to do again then. So we’ve acquired a company that is aware of what it’s prefer to be an athlete, who can simply take into consideration [their performance], and we take into consideration the remainder. It’s all nonetheless fairly new, and we’re very pleased with this.
WWD: How do you select the manufacturers you affiliate with?
C.L.: This can be very necessary that we share the identical values — precision, laborious work, craft, matching the Components 1 craftsmanship. There are such a lot of folks behind the scenes with a purpose to give me the absolute best automotive. Richard Mille has been following me since I used to be 13 or 14 years outdated. The very first person who believed in me and truly financed my profession with a purpose to get to the place I’m right now. APM is a Monaco model, and clearly we’re sharing the identical values, having grown up in the identical metropolis, and it’s superb to have such an enormous model coming from my dwelling nation.
WWD: How would you describe your relationship with trend? Is it right to say that you simply prefer to put on understated kinds?
C.L.: Sure, that’s right. I believe I’ve searched myself through the years, like everybody does at one level of their life, understanding what garments make you’re feeling most relaxed. However I really like trend. It’s nonetheless a world that fascinates me, that I’m studying about and that I actually take pleasure in. Truly, beginning with Ferrari Model, we’re going to do some issues collectively, so I’m attending to know much more about trend now. And it’s a solution to specific your self with out talking, and that is actually the way in which I like to have a look at it.
WWD: You as soon as stated that in case you weren’t a driver you’ll have have been both an architect or had your individual trend model. Ought to we anticipate one any time quickly? You designed a clutch for Ferrari and there’s a capsule developing that you’ll present in Monaco.
C.L.: Positively, not less than with Ferrari Model. It’s step one that I take into this world, and I loved a lot the method of designing my very own capsule as a result of it’s a course of that can be very intimate. You share who you’re as the true you to ensure that the capsule to essentially characterize you as an individual. And that was tremendous, tremendous fascinating, and to enter the best particulars of each pattern that we’ve executed was a really fascinating course of.
Zegna jacket and cardigan.
Daniele Mango/WWD
WWD: Do you’ve a relationship with Ferrari’s artistic director Rocco Iannone? Do you speak about trend with him?
C.L.: Sure, sure, in fact. Truly, Rocco was the principle individual with whom I’ve labored for this capsule, alongside his complete crew, and we shared lots of concepts with Rocco.
WWD: How do you practice? You stated it’s a must to watch out about your weight so what do you do to maintain match?
C.L.: I do lots of coaching, bodily coaching. Clearly, there’s a mixture of cardio and weight coaching. We will’t do an excessive amount of weight coaching as a result of we are able to’t be too heavy contained in the automotive. So in all probability cardio coaching is what I do most. However it’s a mix of each. The bizarre factor about our sport, which may be very particular to our sport, and we is perhaps one of many solely sports activities on the earth the place it’s like that, is that we can not practice in actual life. We aren’t allowed to drive in Components 1 automobiles all through the season, other than the races and on 4 or 5 days of official testing all year long. The remaining is finished nearly, and that’s what I used to be doing this morning.
WWD. What number of hours and the way typically?
C.L.: Usually it’s from 9 within the morning to a few within the afternoon with a one-hour break. I come right here not less than as soon as every week to attempt to practice on the simulator to organize races. Additionally, as quickly as I end a race, I come right here and I attempt to examine, how does it really feel like within the digital world, and the way did it really feel throughout the true race? And that’s how we attempt to make it the closest attainable between the digital world and the true world so as to have the ability to develop new elements of the automotive within the digital world after which carry them into the true world.
WWD: And what do you eat once you practice with the simulator?
C.L.: I type of do the identical weight-reduction plan as once I’m on the true automotive. So carbs, which supplies you somewhat little bit of the vitality wanted for this sort of days, largely. However it’s all about steadiness, and it’s a really balanced weight-reduction plan.
