Charles Leclerc is the new boy wonder of Formula One who was born into the plutocrats’ playground of Monaco. His runaround is a Ferrari 488 Pista.
But if those bare facts suggest it has all been silver spoons and honey, they hide the heartache of losing his father, Herve, and his godfather, the Formula One racer Jules Bianchi.
Nor do they reflect the sheer graft behind the 21-year-old’s rise, which, as he revealed ahead of Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, includes having sensors fixed to his head in a scientific attempt to hard-boil his mind.
Charles Leclerc is the new boy wonder of F1 after impressive start to his Ferrari career
Leclerc showed fortitude two weeks ago in Bahrain when an engine problem denied him certain victory. He took the positives out of the experience, namely the indication that he might have a say in this year’s title destiny — not bad for a Ferrari career only two races old.
The brain tests, described by Ferrari as a type of ‘physiological lie detector’ were performed at the Mental Economy Gym at Formula Medicine in Viareggio between the ages of 13 and 18.
Leclerc said: ‘It is pretty difficult to explain in words but basically you train in front of a computer and you try to understand what is happening in your brain, how you react to certain stresses, from the readouts on the screen.
‘I thought I knew what was happening in my head anyway but actually I was not understanding anything. You learn how to control yourself a lot better and you take the findings into the car. My mental control is now a strength, whereas in karting it was a weakness.’
The 21-year-old was fifth in Australia and then denied by a late engine problem in Bahrain
Leclerc qualified fourth for today’s race, behind pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and the other Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.
A product of Ferrari’s driver academy with a stellar junior career and a season with Sauber behind him, Leclerc is seen by some as the man who can dislodge Vettel as the Scuderia’s No1. It is too early to be sure of that. Yes, Vettel has spun four times in the last 10 races and gone eight months without a victory but he remains a quadruple world champion. Leclerc still has L-plates on by comparison.
His junior
