Career Timeline of Charles Leclerc: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Charles Leclerc made an impact.

Charles Leclerc is a Monégasque Formula One racing driver currently competing for Ferrari. He achieved runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2022. Throughout his eight seasons in Formula One, Leclerc has secured eight Grand Prix victories, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the sport.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1931: First Monégasque Driver Since 1931

In 2024, Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win the event since Louis Chiron in 1931, and the first in the Formula One World Championship.

2005: Begins Competitive Kart Racing

In 2005, Charles Leclerc began his competitive kart racing career, winning the regional PACA championship in the Mini class with 15 wins from 18 races.

2006: Defends PACA Championship

In 2006, Charles Leclerc successfully defended his PACA championship in the Mini class.

2007: Moves to Minime Class

In 2007, Charles Leclerc advanced to the Minime class, winning the Trophée Claude Secq and finishing runner-up at the PACA championship.

2009: Partnership with Richard Mille

In 2009, Charles Leclerc partnered with Swiss luxury watch company Richard Mille, who supported him through his kart racing and junior formulae career.

2009: Wins French Championship and Bridgestone Cup

In 2009, Charles Leclerc progressed to the Cadet class, winning the French Championship, the Bridgestone Cup, and the regional Rhône-Alpes title. He also partnered with Richard Mille for support.

2010: International Karting Competition

In 2010, Charles Leclerc entered international competition in the junior KF3 class, becoming the youngest winner of the CIK-FIA Monaco Kart Cup and finishing runner-up in the French Championship.

2011: Karting World Cup Win

In 2011, Charles Leclerc won the Karting World Cup at Sarno and the Academy Trophy after being scouted by Nicolas Todt.

2012: Senior KF2 Category and WSK Euro Series Win

In 2012, Charles Leclerc graduated to the senior KF2 category with ART Grand Prix, winning the WSK Euro Series. He also finished runner-up in the Karting European Championship and the under-18 Karting World Championship.

2013: Progression to KZ Senior Gearbox Class

In 2013, Charles Leclerc progressed to the KZ senior gearbox class, winning the South Garda Winter Cup in KZ2 and finishing runner-up in the KZ World Championship.

2014: Formula Renault 2.0 Debut and Success

In 2014, at age 16, Charles Leclerc debuted in Formula Renault 2.0 with Fortec, achieving his maiden podium finish at Pau and securing his first formula racing victories at Monza. He finished runner-up to Nyck de Vries in the Alps Series and won the rookies' championship.

December 2015: GP3 Testing and Ferrari Driver Academy

In December 2015, Charles Leclerc participated in GP3 testing with ART and Arden and joined the Ferrari Driver Academy prior to the 2016 season.

2015: FIA European F3 Debut and Victory

In 2015, Charles Leclerc debuted in FIA European F3 with Van Amersfoort Racing, clinching second in race two and followed it up with his maiden victory in race three at Silverstone. He secured three consecutive podiums at the Hockenheimring, winning the rain-affected third race.

2015: Graduation to FIA European Formula 3

In 2015, Charles Leclerc graduated to FIA European Formula 3, where he won several races and finished fourth in his rookie season.

2016: Joins Ferrari Driver Academy and signs as development driver

In 2016, Charles Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy and was signed as a development driver for Haas and Ferrari. He made his testing debut at Fiorano, driving the Ferrari F14 T. He participated in free practice sessions and completed his first official test for Ferrari at Silverstone in the SF16-H.

2016: GP3 Series Victory

In 2016, Charles Leclerc won his debut GP3 race at Catalunya and led the first race from lights-to-flag at the Red Bull Ring. He recovered to second- and third-placed finishes at Silverstone after starting seventh.

2016: GP3 Series Championship Win

In 2016, Charles Leclerc won his first championship at the GP3 Series with ART.

2017: FIA Formula 2 Debut and Victory

In 2017, Charles Leclerc debuted in FIA Formula 2 with Prema, taking pole position at Sakhir and winning his maiden F2 race after a remarkable comeback drive. He dedicated his pole in Baku to his deceased father and converted it to a feature race victory.

2017: Formula 2 Championship Victory and FIA Rookie of the Year

In 2017, Charles Leclerc secured the Formula 2 Championship title at Jerez after achieving his eighth pole position of the season. He was also named FIA Rookie of the Year, achieving seven wins from 10 podiums.

2017: FIA Formula 2 Championship Win

In 2017, Charles Leclerc won the inaugural FIA Formula 2 Championship with Prema, becoming the fourth driver to win the GP2/Formula 2 championship in his rookie season.

2017: Participates in mid-season test with Ferrari

In 2017, Leclerc participated in the mid-season test at the Hungaroring with Ferrari, driving the SF70H. He completed 98 laps and set the fastest lap of the first day. Kimi Räikkönen praised his performance. Leclerc also completed further free practice sessions with Sauber.

2018: Formula One Debut with Sauber

In 2018, Charles Leclerc made his Formula One debut with Sauber as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, earning several points finishes in the C37.

2018: Signing with Sauber

In 2018, Charles Leclerc signed a Formula One contract with Sauber.

2018: Ambassador of Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation

In 2018, Charles Leclerc was named an ambassador of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, promoting the benefits of learning to swim.

2018: Formula One Debut and First Points

In 2018, Leclerc debuted at the Australian Grand Prix, becoming the first Monégasque driver since 1994 to compete in Formula One. He finished thirteenth. At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he became the first Monégasque driver since 1950 to score points in Formula One, finishing sixth.

2018: Post-Season Test with Ferrari

In 2018, Leclerc entered the post-season test with Ferrari at Yas Marina, setting the fastest time in the SF71H.

2019: Wheel-to-Wheel Racing

After the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc claimed Max Verstappen's overtake was "not the way you overtake." In the following race, Leclerc beat Verstappen in a hard-fought contest for third place.

2019: Penalized for Collision

Charles Leclerc was penalized for causing a collision with Max Verstappen at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix.

2019: Youngest Recipient of FIA Pole Trophy

In 2019, Charles Leclerc became the youngest recipient of the FIA Pole Trophy for achieving the most pole positions, a feat he repeated in 2022.

2019: Joins Ferrari and First F1 Win

In 2019, Charles Leclerc joined Ferrari to partner with Sebastian Vettel and became the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He secured his maiden career win in Belgium and ended Ferrari's nine-year drought at the Italian Grand Prix.

2019: Launch of go-kart brand

In 2019, Charles Leclerc launched his own go-kart brand in collaboration with Birel ART.

2019: Signs with Ferrari and Maiden Pole Position

In 2019, Leclerc signed for Ferrari, partnering with Sebastian Vettel. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, he took his maiden pole position to become the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history. He secured his maiden podium finish, finishing third due to an engine issue.

2019: Pole Position at Monaco

In 2021, Leclerc secured a surprise pole position at his home Grand Prix in Monaco—his first since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix—after colliding with the barrier at La Piscine in the final part of qualifying, but was unable to start the race due to a related drive shaft issue.

2019: Ferrari's First Home Win Since 2019

In 2024, Leclerc received widespread acclaim for his surprise victory at the Italian Grand Prix, completing a one-stop strategy to secure Ferrari's first home win since 2019.

April 2020: Victory in Race for the World

In April 2020, Charles Leclerc won the Race for the World sim racing championship, raising over US$70,000 for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

2020: Criticism for Race-Ending Mistakes

Charles Leclerc has been criticized for race-ending mistakes throughout his early seasons in Formula One, particularly at the 2020 Italian and Sakhir Grands Prix.

2020: Endorsement model for Giorgio Armani

In 2020, Charles Leclerc became an endorsement model for Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani.

2020: Seventh-Fastest Formula One Driver

In 2020, a study by Amazon Web Services listed Charles Leclerc as the seventh-fastest Formula One driver of all time.

2021: Best Qualifier in Formula One

After Charles Leclerc's back-to-back poles at the Monaco and Azerbaijan Grands Prix in 2021, then-teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. proclaimed Leclerc as the best qualifier in Formula One.

2021: First-Corner Overtake

In 2021, Charles Leclerc was praised for his first-corner overtake on Valtteri Bottas at the Spanish Grand Prix, which Jonathan Noble of Motorsport.com described as "sensational."

2021: Partnered with Carlos Sainz Jr.

In 2021, Leclerc was partnered by Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari. He secured a pole position at his home Grand Prix in Monaco but was unable to start the race. He finished second at the British Grand Prix and seventh in the World Drivers' Championship.

2022: Runner-Up in World Drivers' Championship

In 2022, Charles Leclerc achieved several victories and finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the World Drivers' Championship.

2022: Runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship

In 2022, Charles Leclerc finished as runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship with Ferrari.

2022: Acclaim for Bahrain Grand Prix Battle

In 2022, Charles Leclerc received acclaim for his battle with Max Verstappen at the Bahrain Grand Prix, noted for his effective use of the drag reduction system. He was also praised by Lewis Hamilton after their battle at the British Grand Prix.

2022: Repeated FIA Pole Trophy Win

In 2022, Charles Leclerc repeated his 2019 feat of winning the FIA Pole Trophy for achieving the most pole positions in the season.

2022: Azerbaijan Grand Prix Pole Lap

In 2022, Laurence Edmondson of ESPN described Charles Leclerc's pole lap at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as his "latest example of his pinpoint precision and masterful speed", praising his ability to extract the fastest laps consistently under pressure.

2022: Victory in Bahrain and Championship Lead

In 2022, new regulations saw Ferrari challenge Red Bull. Leclerc won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, marking his and Ferrari's first victory since 2019. He became the first Monégasque driver to lead the World Drivers' Championship.

2022: Ferrari 1-2 Finish in Bahrain

In 2024, Leclerc and Sainz achieved a Ferrari 1–2 finish in Australia—their first since the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.

April 2023: Release of "AUS23 (1:1)"

In April 2023, Charles Leclerc released his debut piano-composed single "AUS23 (1:1)". The title references Ferrari's internal name for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix.

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2023: Auction for Emilia-Romagna flood victims

In 2023, Charles Leclerc auctioned the equipment he wore at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, raising €368,800 for victims of the Emilia-Romagna floods. His helmet sold for a record €306,000.

2023: 2023 Season Overview

In 2023, Ferrari struggled with race pace, while Red Bull dominated. Charles Leclerc faced retirements, grid penalties, and collisions, but also achieved pole positions, podium finishes, and strong results in several races. He ended the season fifth in the World Drivers' Championship.

2023: Fastest Qualifier of 2023

In 2023, Martin Brundle opined that Charles Leclerc was the fastest qualifier amongst the Formula One drivers.

2023: Five Pole Positions and Six Podiums

In his 2023 campaign, Charles Leclerc secured five pole positions and six podium finishes.

February 2024: Release of Dreamers EP

In February 2024, Charles Leclerc released his debut extended play, Dreamers, alongside French pianist Sofiane Pamart. The EP reached number two on the Billboard Classical Albums chart and number one on the Classical Crossover Albums chart, and charted in Germany and Switzerland.

April 2024: Launch of LEC ice cream brand

In April 2024, Charles Leclerc launched an eponymous ice cream brand called LEC, referencing his three-letter code on Formula One television graphics.

2024: Racecraft Acclaim

In 2024, Alex Kalinauckas of Autosport lauded Charles Leclerc's racecraft, highlighting instances of defensive driving and an overtake on George Russell at the Chinese Grand Prix. He was further acclaimed for his tyre management at the Italian Grand Prix.

2024: 2024 Season Performance

In 2024, Charles Leclerc extended his contract with Ferrari and aimed to contend with Red Bull. He secured a 1-2 finish with Sainz in Australia. Leclerc won his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix, for the first time in his career. He ended the season third in the championship, having achieved three victories and 13 podiums.

2024: Monaco Grand Prix Victory

In 2024, Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix, becoming the first Monégasque driver to win the race in 93 years. He also achieved victories in Italy and the United States, finishing third in the championship.

February 2025: Release of "MC24 / SIN24"

In February 2025, Charles Leclerc released a two-sided single titled "MC24 / SIN24", featuring compositions from the Monaco and Singapore Grands Prix in 2024.

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2025: Achievements by the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix

As of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has achieved eight race wins, 26 pole positions, 10 fastest laps, and 48 podiums in Formula One.

2025: Partnership with Lewis Hamilton

In 2025, Charles Leclerc is partnered by seven-time World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. Leclerc expressed his readiness to win the championship.

2025: Senna-like at Monaco

In 2025, Mark Hughes described Charles Leclerc as "Senna-like" at Monaco, noting his 5 km/h advantage at the high-speed Tabac.

2026: Contract Extension with Ferrari

Ahead of the 2024 season, Charles Leclerc opted to extend his contract with Ferrari beyond the 2026 regulation changes, signaling his commitment to the team's future.