Had Charles Leclerc not pursued a career in motor racing, it would be reasonable to assume that this thoughtful and intelligent 21-year-old might instead have recently completed a degree. Racing rather than academia always beckoned for Leclerc but right now, in the pressure-cooker environment of driving for Ferrari, this young driver is learning an awful lot of lessons. Every indication is that they are being taken to heart, forging a formidable character.
At last weekend’s Russian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s plan to govern their drivers through the opening corners fell apart publicly and with lasting ramifications. With Leclerc on pole and his teammate Sebastian Vettel in third, the team were focused on keeping Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, starting in second, away from the lead. To do so their arrangement was that Leclerc would give Vettel a slipstream into turn two, and if the German gained an advantage in doing so and took the lead, they would then swap positions.
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