F1 | Leclerc: "One of my motivations is to continue making my father and Jules smile."

Podcast host “BSMT” by Gianluca Gazzoli, Charles Leclerc He told one of the most intimate aspects of his career, inextricably linked to two fundamental figures in his life: Jules Bianchi and his father, Hervé. The most poignant moment of the story comes when the Monegasque recalls his victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, one of his most symbolic achievements. It's not just a race win, but the realization of a shared dream, one he unfortunately couldn't celebrate with those who had supported him from the very beginning.

“I would have liked my father and Jules to see the victory in Monaco, it was the dream I had with my father since always, at the wheel of the Classic Ferrari for sale. In a certain way, I'm sure Jules and my father are watching from up there. One of my motivations is to keep making them smile."

The memory of Jules Bianchi, who passed away in 2015, nine months after the tragic Suzuka accident, remains vivid in Leclerc's mind and heart. Not just a friend, but a guide, a human inspiration, his "sporting godfather." Despite the pain of Bianchi's loss, however, the Ferrari driver confessed he never considered quitting racing because otherwise it would all have been in vain. This is his dream, what makes him feel alive:

It was a difficult time, but I never considered continuing to race because that's what makes me feel alive, what excites me the most in the world. That moment was hard to accept. I had a race that day, and my father hadn't told me the whole truth right away. Later, he told me everything, and it was a huge shock. I was 17. Jules was my sporting godfather; he was always there from the beginning. I have videos of him when we were racing karts. His family ran a track, and every Wednesday and weekend we'd race together, and that was the time when I learned so much. He and I had a special relationship. I naturally learned from him because I raced with him so much. Racing with Jules taught me so many things that still help me today.

 

See this content on Instagram

 

A post shared by The BSMT (@bsmt_basement)

The story continues with memories of the track and glimpses of adolescence, when the dream of Formula 1 was still in its infancy. Bianchi wasn't just a role model, but a constant presence, someone to compare himself to every week, corner after corner. It was there that Leclerc built the foundations of his talent, but above all, his mentality.

Alongside the memory of Jules, the figure of his father, Hervé, also stands out forcefully. He passed away in 2017, just as his son's career was about to take off. It was a very delicate moment, when, when all was lost, Charles wanted to give his father one last smile with a "white lie," telling him he had signed a contract with Ferrari. Even then, Formula 1 was Leclerc's lifeline, because despite his father's passing, he returned to the track four days later, winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Formula 2.

I had started to have some contacts with Alfa Romeo for 2018, but nothing concrete happened. It was difficult because I knew it was a matter of days for my father; he had worked so hard on it, and I lied. I regretted it, but luckily, after a year, I signed with Ferrari for 2019. It's a moment I'll always remember because I knew it was the most important thing for him.

 

See this content on Instagram

 

A post shared by The BSMT (@bsmt_basement)

We often forget an important detail when watching Formula 1 races: that behind every single driver, first and foremost, there is a multifaceted person, with a life we ​​don't know, with many sacrifices, bitter pills swallowed to reach the finish line, the dream of a lifetime, despite knowing that the risk is extremely high every time you take to the track.

And no, this beautiful sport that is Formula 1 cannot be defined as “amateur”.