History of Charles Leclerc in Timeline

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

Sections (5)

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

1931: Monaco Grand Prix Win

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

1950: First Monégasque driver to score points since Louis Chiron in 1950

In 2018, Leclerc became the first Monégasque driver to score points in Formula One since Louis Chiron in 1950.

1976: Original French Short Film

In 2020, Charles Leclerc starred in Claude Lelouch's Le Grand Rendez-vous (2020)—a remake of the 1976 French short film C'était un rendez-vous—where he lapped the Circuit de Monaco in a Ferrari SF90 Stradale.

1980: Ferrari's Lowest Constructors' Championship Finish Since 1980

In 2020, Ferrari finished sixth in the World Constructors' Championship, marking their lowest position since 1980, highlighting a challenging season for the team.

1994: First Monégasque driver to compete in Formula One since Olivier Beretta in 1994

In 2018, Leclerc became the first Monégasque driver to compete in Formula One since Olivier Beretta in 1994, marking a historical moment for Monégasque participation in the sport.

October 1997: Charles Leclerc's Birth

Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc was born in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on 16 October 1997. His father was a racing driver, and his mother operated a hair salon.

Others born on this day/year

2005: Started Racing Career

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

2006: Defended PACA Championship

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

2007: Advanced to Minime

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

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

2009: Won French Championship and Bridgestone Cup

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

2010: International Karting Competition

In 2010, Charles Leclerc entered international karting competition in the junior KF3 class, becoming the youngest winner of the CIK-FIA Monaco Kart Cup.

2010: First Ferrari winner at Monza since Fernando Alonso

In 2019, Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix from pole, becoming the first Ferrari winner at Monza since Fernando Alonso in 2010.

2011: Won World Cup at Sarno

In 2011, Charles Leclerc won the World Cup at Sarno and joined Nicolas Todt's All Road Management firm, further winning the Academy Trophy and the Masters of Paris-Bercy.

2011: Karting World Cup victory

In 2011, Charles Leclerc won the junior direct-drive Karting World Cup, marking a significant achievement in his early racing career.

2012: WSK Euro Series Win

In 2012, racing with ART Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc won the WSK Euro Series in the senior KF2 category, amidst an incident with Max Verstappen, also finishing runner-up in the Karting European Championship and the under-18 Karting World Championship.

2013: Progressed to the 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 to Verstappen in the KZ World Championship.

2014: Graduation to Junior Formulae

In 2014, Charles Leclerc graduated to junior formulae, signing for Fortec in Formula Renault 2.0. He achieved his maiden podium finish in the second race at Pau and finished runner-up to Nyck de Vries in the Alps Series.

December 2015: GP3 Testing and Ferrari Driver Academy

In December 2015, Charles Leclerc participated in post-season GP3 testing with ART and Arden, eventually signing with ART for the 2016 GP3 Series. He also joined the Ferrari Driver Academy.

2015: Graduation to Formula Three

In 2015, Charles Leclerc graduated to Formula Three, contesting FIA European F3 with Van Amersfoort Racing. He clinched second in race two followed by his maiden victory amidst a race-long battle with Antonio Giovinazzi at Silverstone.

2015: Graduation to FIA European Formula 3

In 2015, Charles Leclerc graduated to the FIA European Formula 3, achieving several race wins and finishing fourth in his rookie season.

2015: Death of Jules Bianchi

In 2015, Jules Bianchi, who was Charles Leclerc's godfather and mechanic in kart racing, passed away.

2016: GP3 Series Debut and Victory

In 2016, Charles Leclerc debuted in the GP3 Series with ART, qualifying third at Catalunya and winning his debut race by over six seconds.

2016: Joined Ferrari Driver Academy and signed as development driver

In 2016, Charles Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy and was signed as a development driver for both Haas and Ferrari. He also made his testing debut at Fiorano, driving the Ferrari F14 T. As part of his role at Haas, he participated in the first free practice sessions of the British, Hungarian, German and Brazilian Grands Prix. He completed his first official test for Ferrari at Silverstone in the SF16-H after his performance at the British Grand Prix impressed the team.

2016: GP3 Series Championship win

In 2016, Charles Leclerc won the GP3 Series Championship with ART, showcasing his talent in single-seater racing.

2017: C. Leclerc

In 2017, C.Leclerc.

2017: Formula 2 Debut and Victory

In 2017, Charles Leclerc progressed to FIA Formula 2 with Prema. He took pole position for the feature race at Sakhir, where he finished third. He also secured his maiden F2 victory in the reverse-grid sprint race with an uncommon mid-race pit stop.

2017: Formula 2 Championship Win

In 2017, Charles Leclerc won the Formula 2 Championship. He achieved his eighth pole of the season at Jerez and held off a late charge by Rowland to become the youngest GP2/Formula 2 champion. Leclerc was also named FIA Rookie of the Year.

2017: Father's Death and Baku Victory

In 2017, Charles Leclerc's father, Hervé, passed away shortly before Leclerc won the feature race at the Baku Formula 2 round. Leclerc dedicated the pole position in Baku to his father.

2017: Participated in mid-season test at Hungaroring with Ferrari

In 2017, Leclerc participated in the mid-season test at the Hungaroring with Ferrari, driving the SF70H, completing 98 laps and setting the fastest lap on the first day. Kimi Räikkönen praised Leclerc's performance. He also completed further free practice sessions with Sauber at the Malaysian, United States, Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix.

2018: Signing with Sauber

Charles Leclerc signed a Formula One contract with Sauber in 2018, after lying to his father about it prior to his death.

2018: Debut in Formula One and First Points

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

2018: Formula One Debut with Sauber

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

2018: Named Ambassador for Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation

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

2018: G. Russell

In 2018, G. Russell.

2018: Entered post-season test with Ferrari at Yas Marina

In 2018, Leclerc entered the post-season test with Ferrari at Yas Marina and set the fastest time in the SF71H, marking a successful start to his Ferrari journey.

2019: Initial Reaction to Overtaking Maneuvers

After ceding the lead of the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix to Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc claimed his move was "not the way you overtake" and that he would adjust his aggression going forward. He then had a hard-fought contest with Verstappen for third at the following race.

2019: Youngest Recipient of FIA Pole Trophy

Charles Leclerc became the youngest recipient of the FIA Pole Trophy in 2019 for achieving the most pole positions.

2019: Penalized for Collision with Verstappen

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

2019: Victory since 2019.

Charles Leclerc won a grand prix in 2022. It was Ferrari's first victory since 2019.

2019: Relationship with Charlotte Siné

From 2019, Charles Leclerc was in a relationship with Monégasque architect and influencer Charlotte Siné, daughter of the then-director general of the Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco.

2019: Launch of Go-Kart Brand

In 2019, Charles Leclerc launched his own go-kart brand, as part of a collaboration with Birel ART.

2019: Joins Ferrari and becomes second-youngest polesitter at Bahrain Grand Prix

In 2019, Charles Leclerc partnered with Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, becoming the second-youngest polesitter in Formula One history at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

2019: Signed for Ferrari and Maiden Pole Position

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

2019: N. de Vries

In 2019, N. de Vries.

2019: Leclerc secured a surprise pole position at his home Grand Prix in Monaco

In 2021, Leclerc secured a surprise pole position at his home Grand Prix in Monaco—his first since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix

2019: Ferrari's First Home Win

In 2024, Charles 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: Won Race for the World sim racing championship

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: Starred in Le Grand Rendez-vous

Charles Leclerc starred in Claude Lelouch's Le Grand Rendez-vous (2020)—a remake of the 1976 French short film C'était un rendez-vous—where he lapped the Circuit de Monaco in a Ferrari SF90 Stradale.

2020: Criticism for Race-Ending Mistakes

Charles Leclerc was criticised for race-ending mistakes throughout his early seasons in Formula One, particularly at the 2020 Italian and Sakhir Grands Prix, as well as the 2022 French Grand Prix.

2020: Tribute Helmet for Sebastian Vettel

Charles Leclerc wore a tribute helmet for Sebastian Vettel at the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—their final race as teammates.

2020: Endorsement Model for Giorgio Armani

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

2020: Winless Season

In 2020, Charles Leclerc experienced a winless season with Ferrari.

2020: M. Schumacher

In 2020, M. Schumacher.

2020: Listed as 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.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Shortens Season

The 2020 Formula 1 season was delayed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferrari struggled for performance with the SF1000.

2021: Sainz Jr. Proclaims Leclerc Best Qualifier

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: Another Winless Season

In 2021, Charles Leclerc had another winless season with Ferrari.

2021: Partnered with Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari

In 2021, Charles Leclerc was partnered by Carlos Sainz Jr. at Ferrari for his campaign.

2021: Praised for Overtake on Bottas

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

2021: O. Piastri

In 2021, O. Piastri.

2022: Acclaim for Battle with Verstappen and Battle with Hamilton

Charles Leclerc received acclaim for his battle with Verstappen at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, noted for his effective use of the drag reduction system. He was also praised by Hamilton after their battle at the 2022 British Grand Prix, where Leclerc overtook him around the outside of Copse on older tyres.

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 while driving for Ferrari.

2022: Repeated FIA Pole Trophy Win

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

2022: Runner-up in World Drivers' Championship

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

2022: End of relationship with Charlotte Siné

In 2022, Charles Leclerc's relationship with Monégasque architect and influencer Charlotte Siné ended.

2022: Brother's Championship Win

In 2022, Charles Leclerc's younger brother, Arthur, won the Formula Regional Asian Championship.

2022: F. Drugovich

In 2022, F. Drugovich.

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".

2022: First Victory Since 2019 and Championship Lead

In 2022, Leclerc qualified on pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix and won the race, marking his and Ferrari's first victory since 2019. The result made him the first Monégasque driver to lead the World Drivers' Championship.

2022: Voice Acting Debut in Lightyear

In 2022, in partnership with Ferrari, Charles Leclerc made his voice acting debut in the Italian-language version of Pixar's Toy Story animated spin-off film Lightyear.

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2022: Ferrari 1–2 finish in Bahrain

In 2024, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz secured a Ferrari 1–2 finish in Australia, the team's first since the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.

2022: Maurizio Arrivabene stated that his contract would run until 2022

Then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene stated that Leclerc's contract would run until 2022.

April 2023: Release of Debut Single AUS23 (1:1)

In April 2023, Charles Leclerc released his debut piano-composed single "AUS23 (1:1)", referencing the 2023 Australian Grand Prix.

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2023: Five Pole Positions and Six Podiums

In 2023, Charles Leclerc achieved five pole positions and six podium finishes during his Formula One campaign.

2023: Auctioned Monaco Grand Prix Equipment for Emilia-Romagna Flood Victims

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

2023: Formula One Season

In 2023, Charles Leclerc experienced inconsistent race pace and tyre wear with Ferrari, while Red Bull dominated. He retired from the Bahrain Grand Prix due to a technical issue and faced grid penalties in Saudi Arabia. After retiring in Australia, he achieved pole position in Azerbaijan, finishing second in the sprint and third in the main race. Later in the season, he secured multiple pole positions, including in Belgium, and finished second in Las Vegas after a final-lap overtake. He ended the season fifth in the World Drivers' Championship with 206 points.

2023: Fastest Qualifier Amongst Drivers

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

2023: T. Pourchaire

In 2023, T. Pourchaire.

2023: Controversy Over Gilles Villeneuve Helmet Design

In 2023, controversy arose over Charles Leclerc's Gilles Villeneuve helmet design for the Canadian Grand Prix, after the Villeneuve family claimed he did not ask for permission; Jacques Villeneuve permitted it after talking to Leclerc.

2023: Relationship with Alexandra Saint Mleux

Since 2023, Charles Leclerc has been in a relationship with Italian model and art historian Alexandra Saint Mleux.

February 2024: Release of Dreamers EP

In February 2024, Charles Leclerc released his debut extended play, Dreamers, alongside French pianist Sofiane Pamart, which achieved chart success in multiple countries.

April 2024: Launch of LEC Ice Cream Brand

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

November 2024: Appearance in Charles Leclerc – Supersonique Documentary

In November 2024, Charles Leclerc appeared in Charles Leclerc – Supersonique, a Canal+ documentary, where he attempted aerobatics in a Dassault Rafale with the French Air and Space Force.

2024: Racecraft Acclaim

Alex Kalinauckas of Autosport lauded Charles Leclerc's racecraft after the 2024 season, highlighting several instances of his defensive driving against faster machinery, as well as an overtake on George Russell at the Chinese Grand Prix. He was further acclaimed for his tyre management at the Italian Grand Prix.

2024: Extended Ferrari contract until the end of 2024

Charles Leclerc extended his Ferrari contract until the end of 2024, securing his future with the team.

2024: Collaboration with Sofiane Pamart on "Dreamers"

In 2024, Charles Leclerc collaborated with pianist Sofiane Pamart on the extended play "Dreamers", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.

2024: Formula One Season

In 2024, Charles Leclerc extended his contract with Ferrari. He secured a 1-2 finish with Carlos Sainz in Australia and won his home race, the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time. Throughout the season, he had multiple podium finishes and secured several pole positions, including in Belgium and Azerbaijan. Leclerc finished third in the championship with 356 points. He achieved three victories from 13 podiums.

2024: Torchbearer for the Monégasque Leg of the Summer Olympics

In 2024, Charles Leclerc served as a torchbearer for the Monégasque leg ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, alongside Alexandra Coletti, Xiaoxin Yang, Rudy Rinaldi, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene. That year, he purchased a US$3.1 million condominium in Miami.

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 achieved further victories in Italy and the United States as he finished third in the championship.

2024: Tribute Helmet to Bianchi and Sainz Jr.

In 2024, Charles Leclerc wore a tribute helmet to Jules Bianchi at the Japanese Grand Prix, the tenth anniversary of his fatal accident. He also wore a tribute for departing teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

2024: G. Bortoleto

In 2024, G. Bortoleto.

February 2025: Release of MC24 / SIN24 Single

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: Ongoing Achievements in Formula One

As of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has achieved eight race wins, 26 pole positions, 10 fastest laps, and 43 podiums in Formula One.

2025: Partnership with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

In 2025, Charles Leclerc is partnered with seven-time World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. Prior to the season, Leclerc stated he was "ready [to win] the championship".