In Monaco, Charles Leclerc emerges from the tunnel.
Charles Leclerc has spoken about the white lie he had told his father, Hervé, in the days before his death – that he had already signed a deal to reach Formula 1, before penning official paperwork a month later.
In 2017, Hervé passed away after battling a prolonged illness. During that season, the former Ferrari junior accomplished a remarkable feat by becoming the first driver to win consecutive championships in both GP3 and GP2.
Charles Leclerc tells full story of the F1 contract ‘lie’ he told his father
Leclerc was flying through the junior categories and sadly lost his father aged only 54, before he was able to reach Formula 1, but just before he passed, the young Monégasque told his dad that he had signed to make it into Formula 1 – which was not strictly true at the time.
A month later, the dream became a reality as Leclerc joined Sauber for his debut season in Formula 1. However, his promotion to Ferrari came the next year, but unfortunately, Hervé had already passed away by then.
Leclerc paid an emotional tribute to his father after winning his first Monaco Grand Prix last weekend, a race victory which was a “dream” of both of theirs from when he was growing up.
Reflecting on the achievements he has attained and his younger brother Arthur’s entry into the world of GT racing with Ferrari this year, he pondered how their late father would perceive their careers now. Moreover, he delved into the fib he had once told their father, shortly before his demise, which surprisingly manifested into reality.
During the On Purpose podcast with Jay Shetty, Leclerc expressed his belief that his father would feel immense pride.
It was extremely challenging for me as my ultimate goal, signing a Formula 1 contract, was not achieved due to the unfortunate passing of my family member a year earlier.
“Formula 1 is the ultimate destination for aspiring racers, the pinnacle of a racing career. It’s the place you dream of being one day. However, just two days before he passed away, I deceived him and claimed, ‘I’ve signed my Formula 1 contract.'”
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The year had been progressing smoothly, instilling confidence in me that this event would come to fruition. However, deep down, I was aware that his passing was imminent, a matter of mere days.
That night, I recall confessing to my mom, who was quite upset with me. She admonished me, saying, “You should never deceive your father.” Her words lingered in my mind for months.
Thankfully, a month later, I finalized my contract. By that time, he had already left, and as a result, I experienced a newfound sense of tranquility within myself. I reassured myself that I had been honest with my father, had foreseen the circumstances, and ultimately, everything was alright.
“That was a truly significant moment because, as I mentioned earlier, Formula 1 is the ultimate aspiration for every driver. It was challenging to come to terms with the fact that he would depart without knowing what lay ahead, but I firmly believe that he would have felt immense pride.”
Leclerc also shared his relief that his Formula 1 dream had become a reality, not just for the sake of his career, but also because he no longer had to bear the burden of the white lie he had told his father.
In addition, he elaborated on the extent of his assistance throughout his journey, emphasizing the significant investment he made in supporting his progress in motorsport.
Leclerc expressed his relief at ensuring that the truth prevailed, understanding that living with such a lie would have been unbearable for the rest of his life.
“And he, too, made numerous sacrifices on my behalf. I have always refrained from claiming any personal sacrifices in my life, as there were none.”
I indulged in my passion for racing and pursued it wholeheartedly, despite not spending much time at home during my childhood. Instead, I dedicated my time to being on the track, as it was where I found the most joy and fulfillment.
Contrarily, he had to make considerable sacrifices due to the high costs associated with motorsport.
He made sacrifices so that I could pursue my greatest passion, which was driving. I was fully aware of this, and also understood that he couldn’t spend as much time with my mom because he was always with me at races.
In my perspective, he made numerous sacrifices, far surpassing the ones I made, as my experience was always characterized by sheer pleasure.
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