Leclerc's Ferrari secret: ‘I've got some restrictions’

Charles Leclerc is often an adventurous driver out on track, but off it, the Monegasque is among those who must answer to adult supervision when it comes to his downtime hobbies.

The topic of drivers’ off-track leisure limits surfaced ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, sparked by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar. The Frenchman had been sidelined since the Dutch Grand Prix after suffering a hand injury during a training session that involved boxing.

When asked if Red Bull would clamp down on his off-track activities following the mishap, Hadjar brushed off the idea of team-enforced curfews or banned lists.

“No. I mean, next time I’ll just be more careful,” Hadjar said. “You know, maybe strap myself and that’s it. It happens. There are no restrictions. I’m not five years old, so I just need to think twice before.”

Permission slips and parachutes

Sitting alongside Hadjar, Leclerc was quick to offer a realistic counterpoint to his peer’s total freedom.

The Scuderia driver chimed in with a smile to gently clarify how things work when major championship stakes are involved.

“Well, I’m not five years old either, but I’ve got some restrictions,” Leclerc quipped, playing off Hadjar’s remarks.

While he insisted the Scuderia isn't running a boarding school, he acknowledged that off-track adventures require a diplomatic touch.

“But not too many, and actually I ask nicely, then most of the time they accept,” Leclerc explained.

However, "asking nicely" has its limits – especially when leaps out of airplanes are involved. Leclerc admitted that his one attempt at skydiving didn't sit well with team management back in Maranello.

“But yes, skydiving is probably not recommended, but that’s also what I thought. It’s a bit strange to restrict skydiving. Anyway, let’s not get into this discussion. I’m not that obsessed with skydiving anyway, but the only time I did it, they were not so happy. So, I don’t do it anymore.”

Read also:

• Leclerc hints at potential post-F1 career plan: ‘I’ll do just that’

Skydiving isn't the only activity subject to caution. Winter sports are also carefully managed around the competitive calendar to prevent unwanted injuries.

“Yes, skiing. It’s not that we are restricted, but we are also kind of responsible in a way, and skiing is not the safest kind of sport,” Leclerc noted.

“So, you can do it right after the season, then the closer you get to the season, the less risky kind of sports I will do.”

For now, Leclerc is keeping his feet firmly on the ground – reserving his extreme-speed thrills for the racetrack, where Ferrari's engineering team can keep a close eye on him.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook