Charles Leclerc has said that his late father Hervé’s sentiments have helped him stay focused in his quest for a maiden Formula 1 championship title this season.
Leclerc who is now on his fourth season with Ferrari, has had to wait for a championship bid which is now within his grasp because the Scuderia has benefited from this year’s aerodynamic regulations.
The Monégasque has had an incredible start to the season, winning two races and finishing second in the other in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia, as well as earning the fastest lap point in all three.
However, the tables have turned against Leclerc, initially due to an error on his part in Imola, then retiring with a power unit failure when comfortably leading in Spain, and then succumbing to Ferrari’s disastrous strategy in Monaco.
As a result of his current misfortunes, what was once a 46-point lead over Red Bull’s incumbent champion has now been reduced to a nine-point deficit. However, Leclerc carries the words of his father Hervé, a former Formula 3 racer who died just before his son was given his first F1 deal.
“My late father prepared me from the beginning, telling me to stay humble,” said Leclerc, in an interview with New York Times.
“I think this was the first thing he ever told me whenever we started winning races.”
“It was in karting, but I was seven years old, and obviously at seven years old, when you start winning, you think you are the best and he was already starting to tell me ‘Calm down, Charles’.
“I’ve never been an arrogant person, but obviously you have confidence at that time. He was always the first person to tell me to stay humble which has since been very useful.”
Despite the fact that the drivers’ rankings have changed dramatically since the first three races, Leclerc remains in contention for the championship, especially as the SF-75 appears to be a car that can handle every track.
While Leclerc admits that being in the picture feels “amazing,” as the 24-year-old is determined to keep his thoughts focused in order to avoid any unnecessary pressure.
“I don’t think about it too much… I don’t want to think about it. I just want to focus on the job,” said Leclerc.
“That’s the approach I’ve always taken in my career – to not think too much about the outside pressure, the expectations, and there are a lot at this time because it has been very difficult for the team to be back on top.
“People will finally see the potential that we have to win the championship, so there are a lot of expectations, a lot of outside pressure but I am confident if we keep working well, keep working hard, then the results will come.”
“So the approach I want to maintain for the rest of the year is to not focus too much and to avoid telling myself we are really fighting for the championship because this adds a lot of pressure and I don’t want that.”
