During the ongoing summer break, Formula 1 drivers have been engaging in various off-track pursuits, and Charles Leclerc has provided a glimpse into his recent activities. The Scuderia Ferrari driver appeared on the ‘Grill the Grid’ F1 show, where he was challenged to identify famous landmarks and venues related to the sport’s race calendar, highlighting an entertaining side of his Charles Leclerc F1 summer activities.
In a clip shared by Formula 1 on X, Leclerc stood before a board displaying a sketchpad, revealing images of prominent locations from different F1 tracks. He chose to skip several images and struggled to correctly name some venues, showing moments of lighthearted difficulty. Despite this, Leclerc successfully recognized one key location: the wall at turn eight of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix circuit in Baku.
The significance of this correct guess is tied to Leclerc’s memorable crash during qualifying at the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when his Ferrari collided with barriers at that very wall. Although the crash was a setback that day, it left a lasting impression because his car had shown strong pace capable of earning pole position. Fans also recall Leclerc’s honest team radio message following the crash:
‘I am stupid, I am stupid.”
—Charles Leclerc, Driver
Despite the qualifying mishap, Leclerc showed resilience by recovering during the race and ultimately finishing sixth on the challenging street circuit in Baku.
Leclerc Vows to Come Back Stronger After Mixed Hungarian Grand Prix Performance
Following a difficult race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has pledged to improve his results as the season progresses. Starting from pole position, Leclerc appeared poised for a strong performance at the Hungaroring but encountered damage to his car’s chassis, which compromised his race pace and allowed McLaren drivers to gain ground.
The damage forced Leclerc to settle for a fourth-place finish, leaving the Monegasque driver visibly frustrated with the outcome. Reflecting on the race, Leclerc acknowledged the challenge his team faced and expressed determination to regroup after the summer break. He stated (via Ferrari):
“This is not the outcome we hoped for but there was nothing we could have done to control it, considering the issue we had. I got some more insight into what was happening after getting out of the car and it turns out that we had an issue on the chassis that started just about when I began to feel a difference in how the car behaved. It’s frustrating, because I think we could have won today, but we will return after the summer break and give it our all to come back stronger.”
—Charles Leclerc, Driver
The Hungarian Grand Prix marked Leclerc’s first pole position of the current campaign and Ferrari’s first of the season. Now, with the summer pause concluding, Leclerc and his team will shift their focus to the second half of the Formula 1 season, beginning with preparations for the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. This period is expected to be crucial as Ferrari aims to address recent challenges and strengthen its competitiveness alongside teams like McLaren.