Leclerc: "I would like my brother in F1, but not as a teammate"

Double commitment
The 2023 season promises to be particularly intense and stressful for the Leclerc family to experience. In addition to Charles, engaged with Ferrari in pursuing that world title which would be the first in his career for the young Monegasque talent and which would break a curse that has lasted for the Prancing Horse since 2007, traveling the world aboard a single-seater racing car will in fact be also his brother Arthur. Engaged in Formula 3 for the last two seasons, where he obtained a tenth and a sixth place in the general standings, now the younger brother of the red fans’ idol will try to shine in the series which historically has the role of ‘hunting ground’ for the circus team.

Illustrious precedents
Leclerc has always been his little brother’s biggest fan and has never failed to support him in the stages of his career, but could his perception change if Arthur really manages to make his F1 debut? The last and most famous brothers to have raced together in the Circus were Michael and Ralf Schumacher. The successes obtained by the Kaiser are obviously incomparable to those of his younger brother, but the former driver of Jordan, Williams and Toyota was also able to excel at times, collecting a total of six successes in his career. The current Ferrari #16 would be thrilled to challenge his younger brother on track, but he also revealed – somewhat surprisingly – that he would never want to have him as a pit-mate.

Never in the same team
“I wish we could both be together on the starting grid in F1 one day. It’s not impossible – Leclerc explained in an interview with the TV programme En Apartétransmitted by Canal+ – I think I’ll never accept being his teammate, because being teammates is more complicated, but I’d really like to be on the same starting grid“. A situation, the one hoped for by Charles Leclerc, which would mirror the one experienced by the Schumacher brothers between 1997 and 2006. Certainly a possible duel on the track between the two Leclercs would be a particular circumstance for Charles to experience: “With Pierre [Gasly] we have always been great friends, but when the visor is down there is no more friendship. Arthur is my brother, so I don’t know how I would react”.