Senna and PlayStation inspire Leclerc in Brazil

Charles Leclerc says the memories of Ayrton Senna and playing PlayStation as a youngster give the Brazilian Grand Prix a special place in his heart.

Interlagos has been a happy hunting ground for Ferrari in recent years, with Kimi Raikkonen on the podium last year and Sebastian Vettel taking victory in 2017.

Leclerc getting in on that record may be unlikely this week, as he is set to serve a 10-place grid penalty for a new engine, although rumours that 2020 components will be in use add intrigue to the Monegasque's race.

Regardless of the pre-race setback, Leclerc is looking forward to tackling Brazil with the Scuderia, having scored an seventh-place finish with Sauber last year.

He said: "Not only are the people in Brazil extremely passionate about our sport, but it was also the home of Ayrton Senna, who is the driver I have probably most looked up to.

"He was very talented, just special, and this GP will always remind us of his legacy.

"The circuit is really exciting to drive on. It's a short lap but still features lots of different corner combinations paired with straights. I think the layout has changed quite a bit over the past decades until it reached its current shape.

"When I was younger, I actually always used to select it on my PlayStation, so I've always been very fond of it!

"The weather in Sao Paulo can be changeable, which means that the conditions on track can vary from day to day and pose unexpected challenges to all teams, mixing things up."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

F1 News Today: Red Bull set for FIA protest as Christian Horner return takes new twist

• Just now

Charles Leclerc gives Lewis Hamilton the DNF curse ahead of Barcelona Grand Prix

• Yesterday 22:56

F1 News Today: Christian Horner excited about new job as FIA make major announcement

• Yesterday 22:10

Beloved Sky F1 pundit to return at Barcelona Grand Prix after bout with illness

• Yesterday 21:58

F1 Crashgate scandal is heading for the Supreme Court in dramatic new development

• Yesterday 20:54

FIA announces groundbreaking F1 engine changes in major U-turn

• Yesterday 19:51