Who was the idol that Charles Leclerc looked up to as a young racer? The Monegasque reveals it himself, sharing this in common with future Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton. “He is the only idol I’ve ever had,” Leclerc shares.
It’s been over thirty years since Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna passed away at Imola, but the Brazilian’s impact on the premier class is still palpable. Lewis Hamilton, now an honorary citizen of Brazil, previously named Senna as one of his idols. Upcoming Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc shares this sentiment with the British driver.
In a conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sports Sportweek, the Ferrari driver explains why he also looks up to the world champion. “Ayrton Senna, a legend. And not just in motorsport. He is the only idol I’ve ever had,” the Monegasque explains. “I would have loved to meet Ayrton Senna. Before (the race at, ed.) Interlagos, I went to the Senna Foundation. I saw some of the cars he raced with, his helmets. It was a very beautiful moment.”
Jules Bianchi
However, Senna is not Leclerc’s only idol. The 27-year-old Monegasque didn’t watch Formula 1 as often in his younger years, so he looked up to a driver in karting. “As a child, I didn’t really have a Formula 1 idol. My hero was Jules Bianchi, who was a fantastic kart racer,” Leclerc concludes. Bianchi was Leclerc’s godfather and passed away in 2015 from injuries sustained during the Japanese Grand Prix.
