If you are a fan of Formula One, you probably know who Charles Leclerc is. He is the young and talented driver who races for Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful and prestigious team in the history of the sport. He has won five races and 20 pole positions in his career so far, and was the runner-up to Max Verstappen in the 2022 World Drivers’ Championship. He is also the first Ferrari Driver Academy graduate to race for the Italian team.
But did you know that Charles Leclerc has a brother who is also a racing driver? His name is Arthur Leclerc, and he is currently competing in the 2023 Formula 2 Championship, the feeder series to Formula One. He is also a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has been tipped as a future star of the sport.
So, how are Arthur and Charles Leclerc related? Are they twins, cousins, or something else? In this article, we will reveal the truth about the Ferrari brothers and their family background, their racing careers, and their relationship with each other.
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The Leclerc Family: A Racing Dynasty
Arthur and Charles Leclerc are indeed brothers, but not twins. Arthur is three years younger than Charles, born on October 14th, 2000 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Charles was born on October 16th, 1997 in the same city. They have two other brothers, Lorenzo and Jules, who are not involved in racing.
The Leclerc brothers come from a racing family. Their father, Hervé Leclerc, was a former Formula 3 driver who competed in the 1980s and 1990s. He also ran a karting track in Brignoles, France, where he introduced his sons to motorsport at an early age. Their mother, Pascale Leclerc, supported their passion and helped them with their education.
The Leclerc brothers also had a close relationship with their godfather, Jules Bianchi, who was a Formula One driver for Marussia. Bianchi was a childhood friend of Charles’ father, and mentored both Charles and Arthur in their racing careers. Sadly, Bianchi died in 2015 from injuries he sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
The Racing Careers of Arthur and Charles Leclerc
Arthur and Charles Leclerc both started their racing careers in karting, following their father’s footsteps. They competed in various national and international championships, winning several titles and trophies. They also raced against each other on several occasions, developing a friendly rivalry.
In 2018, Arthur made his single-seater debut in the French F4 Championship, where he finished fifth overall with two wins. He also became a development driver for Venturi Racing in Formula E. In 2019, he moved up to the ADAC Formula 4 Championship in Germany, where he finished third overall with one win.
In 2020, Arthur joined the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema Racing, alongside Oliver Rasmussen, Gianluca Petecof and Jamie Chadwick. He also became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy that year. He finished second in the championship behind Petecof, with six wins and 11 podiums.
In 2021, Arthur progressed to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing again. He had a strong season with four wins and six podiums, finishing tenth overall. He also made his Formula One test debut with Ferrari at Fiorano in January.
In 2022, Arthur won the Formula Regional Asian Championship with Prema Racing, dominating the series with nine wins out of ten races. He also participated in selected rounds of the FIA Formula 2 Championship as a guest driver for DAMS.
In 2023, Arthur became a full-time driver for DAMS in Formula 2 alongside Oliver Bearman. He is aiming to win the title and earn a seat in Formula One in the future.
Charles made his single-seater debut in 2014 in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps series with Fortec Motorsports. He finished second overall with two wins. He also competed in selected rounds of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series.
In 2015, Charles moved up to the FIA European Formula 3 Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing. He finished fourth overall with four wins and 13 podiums. He also became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy that year.
In 2016, Charles joined the GP3 Series with ART Grand Prix. He dominated the championship with three wins and eight podiums, becoming the first driver to win both GP3 and FIA Formula 2 titles.
In 2017, Charles moved up to FIA Formula 2 with Prema Racing again. He had an impressive season with seven wins and ten podiums, clinching the title with a round to spare. He also made his Formula One test debut with Ferrari and Sauber that year.
In 2018, Charles made his Formula One debut with Sauber, a team affiliated with Ferrari. He had a remarkable rookie season, scoring 39 points and finishing 13th overall. He also outperformed his teammate Marcus Ericsson by a large margin.
In 2019, Charles became the first Ferrari Driver Academy graduate to race for Ferrari in Formula One, replacing Kimi Räikkönen. He had a breakthrough season, winning his first two races in Belgium and Italy, and taking seven pole positions. He finished fourth overall with 264 points, beating his teammate Sebastian Vettel.
In 2020, Charles had a challenging season, as Ferrari struggled with their car performance and reliability. He still managed to score two podiums in Austria and Great Britain, and finished eighth overall with 98 points. He also outperformed his new teammate Carlos Sainz.
In 2021, Charles had a better season, as Ferrari improved their car and engine. He scored two pole positions in Monaco and Azerbaijan, and four podiums in Great Britain, Hungary, Turkey and Qatar. He finished fifth overall with 181 points, narrowly losing to Sainz.
In 2022, Charles had his best season yet, as Ferrari became a title contender again. He won three races in Australia, Spain and Canada, and took nine pole positions. He finished second overall with 308 points, only behind Verstappen.
In 2023, Charles is continuing to race for Ferrari in Formula One alongside Sainz. He is aiming to win his first world championship and end Ferrari’s title drought.
The Relationship Between Arthur and Charles Leclerc
Arthur and Charles Leclerc have a close and supportive relationship as brothers and racing drivers. They often communicate with each other on social media, sharing their achievements and challenges. They also visit each other at their respective races, cheering each other on.
Arthur has said that Charles is his role model and inspiration in racing. He has learned a lot from his brother’s experience and advice. He has also said that he is proud of his brother’s success and happy for him.
Charles has said that Arthur is his best friend and confidant. He has praised his brother’s talent and potential in racing. He has also said that he hopes to see his brother in Formula One one day.
According to PlanetF1, the Leclerc brothers have a friendly rivalry on track, but they never let it affect their bond off track. They respect each other’s space and decisions, and they always support each other’s careers.
The Leclerc brothers are not only related by blood, but also by passion. They share the same dream of becoming Formula One champions, and they are working hard to achieve it. They are also part of the Ferrari family, representing the most iconic team in the sport.
Arthur and Charles Leclerc are the Ferrari brothers, and they are making history in racing.