Formula 1

The entertaining, acceptable face of Formula 1

Charles Leclerc has made it his mission to put smiles on people's faces in these tough times

Ian Parkes

Sunday 26 April 2020 12:22

It is refreshing to hear when a Formula 1 star recognises he is in the entertainment business, so take a bow, Charles Leclerc.

We live in an era when many drivers offer only a glimpse of themselves beyond the pulled-down visor of their helmet, despite legions of fans and a social media world clamouring for more.

This is especially true as we sit at home under lockdown, waiting for life to return to some degree of normality, trying to while away the hours that slowly tick by.

The likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris have embraced the situation, doing what they can to put smiles on people's faces, and now, perhaps unusually for a driver from Ferrari, Leclerc has been bitten by the boredom bug and has opted to do what he can to entertain.

Leclerc, like Norris and Max Verstappen, in particular, has taken to esports, which is nothing remarkable you might think.

Leclerc, though, has also discovered Twitch, a platform that by his own admission he did not see himself being involved, and one he "definitely did not expect to enjoy".

Yet the 22-year-old has embraced it to such an extent that he is revealing a side to himself never previously witnessed because again, as he states, "at a Formula 1 track, it's different. There's a pressure".

Leclerc, though, has recently delighted fans by donning a banana costume to play Fortnite, as well as speaking to them with a helium-fuelled, squeaky, high-pitched voice.

"For the people that follow me, it's the closest you can get to the real me," said Leclerc. "To be yourself is a bit different.

"On Twitch, playing with the other drivers, friends, we all know each other for quite a long time, with Lando, George [Russell], Alex [Albon], so we can be ourselves, and I enjoy it a lot more than I thought."

Notably, Leclerc recognises he has a role to play. If he cannot do what he does best every other fortnight from March through to November, then he at least should continue to engage with his followers in some way.

He is a public figure, in many respects, one that is admired around the world, and especially following his superb debut season with Ferrari last year.

"My main priority at the moment is to entertain the people at home, and obviously giving [of] myself also to entertain," said Leclerc.

"So mostly I'm thinking about this, what ideas I can come up with to try and help the people at home bored, that don't have the chance to have a simulator, to try and put a smile on their face.

"I think it has worked pretty well with the things we've been doing, with George, Alex, Nicolas [Latifi], and all the other F1 drivers involved, so that's the goal, that's what I'm thinking [about] mostly during the day.

"Of course, I've my mind on the Formula 1 season, the thing we like doing the most, and that's what I'm missing the most in these moments. I'm really looking forward to the season starting, but I won't rush until it's completely safe for us to do so."

While dressing up as a banana and putting on a silly voice might not appear to be mature things to do in front of a public audience, Leclerc's attitude to who he is and what he should be doing in these difficult times most definitely is.

The Monégasque said: "I see how my mom and my brothers are here in Monaco, and also speaking with all of my friends.

"It's time for people being at home who don't have much to do, so to be able to race in a different way and to see people smile, I've had a lot of positive reactions to what I have been doing on Twitch with all the other F1 drivers.

"I've had people saying it will help them get through these tough times, and make them laugh, and that cheered me up massively, and I was very happy to see that.

"And it has helped get closer to the people who have been supporting me, and that they can see me in a more natural way.

"All of this made me push me to continue this."

Quite what the powers-that-be at Ferrari think of Leclerc's antics is another matter, although you would hope they, too, see the funny side. Mercedes certainly took the mickey.

Nico and @Charles_Leclerc 🍌 in 2016 📸 pic.twitter.com/ywC7dDIMNr
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) April 25, 2020

At 22, Leclerc is still young, and all he is doing is letting off some steam as he will also be feeling the effects of his cooped-up life.

He recognises, though, he still has to be mindful of what he does and says, given the viral nature of social media, and the condemnation that can swiftly follow for an error of judgment, in contrast to the smiles and praise that come with providing the right kind of entertainment.

"We all need to be careful because we know that a lot of people are watching us, but on the other hand, I try to be myself as much as possible," said Leclerc.

"Yeah, you need to be careful because it's still social and everyone can see it again, but it has helped me quite a lot to play and stream at the same time, to be my real self, to show a bit more of my real self.

"I maybe struggled a bit more in races because of the pressure, and things like this, things are different, but on this social platform I feel I'm more myself, so I'm definitely enjoying it."

Fair play to you Charles. Keep entertaining us.