Charles Leclerc arrived in Austin via New York. For the Ferrari driver it was an opportunity to discover the Big Apple. He missed his direct flight and from Nice had to reschedule his trip to Texas. But not all evil has come to harm …
Did you stop in New York before Austin?
“It was very nice. In reality it was not a planned stop. My NIE was not accepted at the airport, so I was unable to take the flight booked. And, then, we changed the flight and went to New York at the last minute. I was able to spend a day in New York: it was my first time and I really enjoyed it. It is an incredible city! Then I went to Milwaukee to watch the NBA’s first game of the season – it was a crazy experience even for the rings ceremony. And now here I am in Austin, ready to get in the car tomorrow ”.
But did you have any problems getting into the United States?
“No, no, in fact everything was fine. There was just one guy at Nice airport who for some reason didn’t really know what a NIE was and I got stuck there. I realized just a minute before the flight was closed that my ID was OK, but I didn’t have the Passenger Tracking Form, so I had to stay in Nice. But it wasn’t a big deal. With the same documents I was able to fly to New York, which it allowed me to discover this city for the first time ”.
How did you celebrate your birthday?
“I went to the restaurant with my friends and family. It was a good time. I don’t see them often, and it was nice to celebrate with them before being away from home for a few weeks ”.
Only half a point in the world championship separates you from Carlos in the drivers’ championship: will it be important to beat him?
“It’s as important as ever, of course. Carlos is a very, very strong teammate, we are working well together but for the team. However, competition is good for both of us. We have been pushing each other since the beginning of the season ”.
Come back to Austin after two years …
“I love America. I really enjoy being here, I love the atmosphere of the whole country. And I also like the track. It is a fun track but also quite challenging, with a lot of bumps. Having seen the MotoGP, the asphalt is probably rougher than two years ago: we’ll see how it goes tomorrow… ”.
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