It is natural when we hear the name of LeClerc to think of Charles who has had a fairy-tale rise to the top of the Formula 1 Grand Prix ladder. He ended 2019 with many experts questioning who really is Ferrari’s number one racing ace, four time world champion Sebastian Vettel or Charles.
But get used to hearing more and more about the exploits of his younger brother Arthur – who has already achieved enough to be tracked by Ferrari’s future star-driver-hunting radar. The latest news is that the guiding lights at the Prancing Horse (Ferrari) have signed Arthur to their famous Driver Academy. Elder brother Charles is himself a graduate of Ferrari’s Junior programme and went on to become Ferrari’s youngest Grand Prix winner in Belgium, 2019, and gave Ferrari a miracle 90th anniversary birthday present by winning their home Grand Prix in Monza.
Brother Arthur who was born in the Principality in 2000, and is 19 years old has just had two promising racing seasons under his belt.
This all began in the French Formula 4 championship in 2018 where in only his second race, on the Nogaro circuit, he raced first across the finish line with a repeat victory later at Magny-Cours. You will also see Arthur’s name associated with Formula E where he is currently a “test driver” of the Monegasque team Venturi. Could Formula E be in his future or is he to follow in Charle’s footsteps and be destined for Formula One? We will have to wait and see.
In 2019 he raced in the German F4 championship with a spectacular victory at Hockenheim, just prior to the running of the German Grand Prix. He amassed seven podiums in F4 taking 3rd Place overall in that championship.
Arthur Leclerc will join eight more Ferrari Driver Academy members in 2020: Mick Schumacher son of the greatest modern Formula One winner for Ferrari, Michael, FIA Formula 3 champion Robert Shwartzman, Giuliano Alesi, Callum Ilott, Marcus Armstrong, Enzo Fittipaldi, Gianluca Petecof and newly recruited Swedish driver Dino Beganovic.
Arthur who was previously part of the Sauber junior team, will in the 2020 season take on the Formula Regional series for Prema Powerteam, where he can earn important F1 super license points. It’s a jump up to Formula three and where he will team up with the Brazilian Gianluca Petecof another potential star on the roster of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
The Ferrari Driver Academy scouts the very best and helps guide them through the early stage of their career – readying the standouts in this “survival of the fittest” training ground for supremacy in motor racing – for a potential career at the pinnacle, possibly even with Ferrari itself. Take a leaf out of Charles’ book!
