Charles Leclerc makes 25, and although few are the years he spent in Formula 1, great are the emotions that it has been able to give to those who profess a cult tinged with red. The jewel of Maranello flourished in city-state of Monaco continues its journey with the skin branded by the pony; and today, let's retrace the journey of those who run for something more… the journey of those pursuing a poetic mission that separates from any purely sporting logic.
Stars are seen light-years away
The pilots of the minor formulas probably don't rejoice seeing the standards that some 'spoiljoys' like Leclerc have set to access the top series. Charles, in most of his pre-F1 seasons, did not know the meaning of the term "competition". The dominance of the karting period did not stop with the advent of open wheel single-seaters. He is one of the few riders who can boast the title win in his first season in formula 3, and in formula 2.
The latter's numbers are something out of the ordinary… something that only 'those who were born for this' can engrave in stone. In 2017, when he competed with Prema, the Monegasque he signed eight pole positions in eleven race weekends, winning seven grand prix. The little prince had already hinted, therefore, what it was its strong point: the dry lap. In just five years in the top flight Charles signed eighteen starts at the pole, like his rival Max Verstappen, who boasts three more years in F1. There ability to concentrate on a single lap, when even veterans' legs shake, it's scary. The sixteenth, on Saturday, remembers those two or three riders who in the past made the history of this sport… no, there's no need to name names.
Charles: the identikit of a champion
Charles has repeatedly told the microphones that for him there is no pressure. Perhaps this is a feature that sometimes goes unnoticed, but it is fundamental for those who don't run for a team, but for a people. Furthermore, it is no secret that Leclerc's talent in the body to body, just think of the duels with Verstappen at the start of the season, or the memorable overtakings like the one on Hamilton at Silverstone. The behavior of a kind and smiling boy outside the car collides with the personality of a cannibal who gives nothing to anyone when they tear the curbs. There ability to defend position of sixteen it seems that of someone who has been in sport for many more years. However, Charles, he's not a perfect driver, but he has everything to aim for competitive completeness.
What is missing for Charles to take the throne
The Monegasque appears, to date, one of the very few capable of being able to scratch an established champion like Verstappen. In the current season Charles he made some mistakes, as in Imola and in France. The latter cost him a very heavy zero in the standings. After a promising 2019 and two years of purgatory, Leclerc found himself a car that, at least until Belgium, was a winner. For the first half of the season, after the successes of Bahrain e Australia, the Ferrari was in full global struggle. In the red box, however, there are quite a few parts that didn't work, starting with reliability, passing through strategies, and ending with driver management.
Charles' mistakes came in the moments of greatest frustration, in Italy stuck behind Perez with his rival chasing a grand chelem, and in France coming from a barrage of races given away to his opponents, with the only sweet spot from Austria. It's certainly not an excuse, but it's something that, if you want to beat an almost perfect rival and team, you have to improve. The jewel from Maranello, however, has smoothed over its biggest flaws of its early years in the premier class. Charles in fact, used to 'eat' the tires, failing to take advantage of the possible strategic advantages deriving from proven tire management; now in this is an example to many. Furthermore, the management of the race has improved significantly, being able to count on a more pounding and incisive rhythm, to realize it, just look at the detachments trimmed to the partner every Sunday.
The tomorrow to come
In forgetting a negative season, another great gift of Charles will come in handy, that of put the past behind you. The Monegasque needs a team that squares up with him and a machine that can threaten the aggressive technical hegemony of a Red Bull that is increasingly on the ball. In 2023 we could even see a three-way fight, with Mercedes close again after this limping season. Charles will certainly not be caught unprepared, continuing what a friend who disappeared under the gray clouds should have done in his place Suzuka, and what he promised to a father who greeted him at the most beautiful moment. The little prince grows up too fast to stop him, and tomorrow, he will honor the promises made, he will give meaning to the mistakes he made, and he will arrive where he was born to be, the only question is the color he will wear, or maybe not…
