Over the last three weeks, Formula One has been put on pause for summer break, following the Hungarian GP. Drivers and team members are returning from vacations and spending time with family for the F1 Dutch GP this weekend.
During this break, Charles Leclerc got the chance to surprise his brother with a track session in the 2019 Ferrari at Circuit Paul Ricard.
Charles Leclerc on surprising his brother with a Ferrari F1 track session
The Monegasque was overjoyed to give this opportunity to his brother Lorenzo Leclerc in a print media session at the F1 Dutch GP. The entire Leclerc family was there in person to enjoy this special day.
“It was very, very special because I had to keep that secret from the first day I started to organise that day.
“I didn’t want him to know that he would drive my Formula 1 car. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have slept the night before. So I told him we were going karting in Paul Ricard.
“At the end, it ended up being a slightly different day because he jumped in my Formula 1 car from 2019. And it was very, very special. He loved it.”
The eldest Leclerc brother stated that it was an “amazing feeling and unforgettable experience surrounded by the best” via his instagram.
Lorenzo never raced in a traditional racing series, as opposed to Charles and Arthur Leclerc. When their father Hervé’s health declined, Lorenzo prioritized his education and future career in order to support his father’s medical care. This caused him to step away from Motorsports.
Charles Leclerc being able to give his brother a chance to drive an F1 car means a lot to their entire family.
“I mean, he did karting for many years. He didn’t drive single-seater and he was actually pretty fast and pretty at ease. So, it was nice. It was an unforgettable day for him, but also I think for the whole family.”
Ferrari is ready to get back on track, says Vasseur
The Scuderia team currently sits in second place in the constructors’ championship. The gap to the McLarens is a whopping 299 points. Ferrari is currently winless this season. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are sitting in P5 and P6 in the driver’s championship, respectively, ahead of the Dutch GP.
Charles Leclerc has built some momentum coming into the break, with a P3 in Belgium and a P4 in Hungary. Team Principal Fred Vasseur hopes that the team can keep this momentum into the second part of the season, as he stated in the Ferrari preview.
“We’re back on track after the summer break, which gave the team and the drivers a chance to recharge, ready to face a very busy final part of the season.
“In the Netherlands, we want to maintain the positive momentum built up over the past few races, where we made progress in terms of competitiveness.”
The Prancing Horses are looking to have some better results after the break, which means addressing their qualifying pace. Lewis Hamilton said that Ferrari should have found a new driver to take his seat after a disappointing qualifying outing at the Hungarian GP. At an especially quali-forward track, there will be pressure for the Scuderia drivers to execute.
Fred Vasseur hopes that after some time to recharge, the Ferraris can come back swinging at Zandvoort.
“Charles and Lewis are ready, and the team is fully focused, determined to put them in the best possible position to get some good results. This weekend, that means starting right from qualifying, which is particularly crucial at Zandvoort, given how difficult overtaking can be at this track.”
