#format:podcast

[chibrary]

Mark: I think the other thing about Charles is, he comes from such a grounded family. Um, you know, his mother, Pascale, is a hairdresser in Monaco. And David Coulthard tells a great story about how, you know, he was in having his haircut in Monaco. And the hairdresser said to him, you know, where are you going this weekend?-- I forget which Grand Prix it was-- Anyway, at that Grand Prix, DC is walking through the paddock and he sees his hairdresser and he goes over to her and he says, what the heck are you doing here? And she was like, oh, well, I just, you know, I had a paddock pass. So I thought I'd come in and have a wander around and he said, yeah, but why are you here? And she said, oh, my son's racing.

[Laughing]

And he says, who's your son? Oh, it's Charles Leclerc. And--

Stuart: You know, it's a shame she didn't say "it is he."

[More laughing]

Mark: Uh, but the point that DC makes is that it shows you the down to earth nature of the family. The mother is not cutting DC's hair saying, oh, I've got this son, he's going to be a future world champion. And can you help me by introducing him to Red Bull-- had never mentioned it at all. Never mentioned it. Very, very grounded and, and I think that comes across from Charles, you don't get the opinion of an overinflated ego there. Quite the contrary.

Source: Flat Chat with Codders by GP Racing Series: F1, 2021

[chibrary]

title: excerpt from "alex albon on his red bull reserve role and proving a point in 2022" source: behind the grid f1 podcast format: podcast season: 2022, f1

TRANSCRIPT:

"And then there's Charles.

And Charles, let me tell you, Charles is on the different-- his scoring system is unbelievable. He is, uh, he's got it from somewhere. I dunno how he's got it. But, um, he's over there. He's in the trees. He's hit the, he's hit the ball backwards. He's on the green, he's four-putted. He's in, he is got a bogey.

[chibrary notes:

four-putted - used the putter (a specific club you use near the hole) four times. considered a humiliating amount to men with money

bogey - finish a hole one stroke (hit) over par

par - number of strokes an "elite" player should normally need to complete that particular hole]

And you're like, so, Charles, hang on there a minute. Let me just backtrack a bit and count what you just did. Um, and so there he is and he's, he's, he's somehow scoring similar to me.

Uh, we, we were playing actually last week and um, we weren't allowed to be a group of four because of, cause of the speed of play. So Lando and Charles were were playing. And I was with my friend Nick. I just, I couldn't believe it cause I was, I was watching the guy, I was behind him.

I was, we were, we were watching the shots they were doing. They were zig-zagging his way down the tower. Warming up his tires, the full buggy must ran out of battery by the end of it. And, and the score, he comes back, he shouts after he's putted, you know, bogey. And so we were writing it down and I'm just like, there's just no way. The guys, the guys. So, so I was like, all right, the last 15 holes were, we're away from the clubhouse. We can join back up as a four. And uh, and funny enough, he wasn't scoring very well.

Just a bad hole, right?

Just a bad three holes mate. You should have seen the last 15."

[chibrary]

title: "F1WEEKLY PODCAST # 609" source: grandprixweekly.com format: interview (audio) season: 2012, karting

Full transcript:

F1 Weekly (00:00): Okay folks, we are in Vegas with Charles Leclerc from Monaco. Charles, welcome to F1 Weekly. How are you today, sir?

Charles (00:07): Very good, but very good because it's Las Vegas for sure. But then, uh, we had a bit of difficulties today, uh, at the second heat, at the third heat, at the fourth, at the second one, and, uh, 28 or 27 at the last one because a driver pushed me out. Uh, yesterday was a really good day because we did the poll and then won the heat. And, uh, we still go on tomorrow with a positive, uh, positive attempt because we were very fast. And our pace, pace in race is very good. So I think we can do well.

F1 Weekly (00:46): Is this your first trip to America?

Charles (00:48): Yeah, my first trip, yeah.

F1 Weekly (00:50): What is your impression so far?

Charles (00:53): Uh, I really do like the, the ambiance, the everything, I really do. Like, it's very, very different to Europe, but I really, I really like it.

F1 Weekly (01:05): Have you had your first hotdog?

Charles (01:08): Uh, yeah. Yeah, I had it <laugh>.

F1 Weekly (01:10): <laugh>. And how good was it?

Charles (01:11): Very good, very good. <laugh>

F1 Weekly (01:13): Good. Okay. I have a question for you. You are a very, uh, you're a young guy, but you're very smart. I understand you were five years old and you told your dad I am sick, a trick that I've also used, tell us about that story, please.

Charles (01:26): Uh, yeah, yeah. I was five years old and we go one day to, uh, to the track of, uh, Jules Bianchi in Brignoles. And, uh, I tried it and I, I loved it, so I told my father to buy a kart and then, uh, all the story went on that, we buy a kart, then do regional races, and, uh, it went pretty good. So then we decided to do the thing a bit more serious. Then we go in international. It was a bit harder at the start, but at the end it's, it's good.

F1 Weekly (02:01): Now, when you got your first, uh, the first two days in the car, were you really quick or was it just more for the fun of it?

Charles (02:10): Uh, the first two days in the car?

F1 Weekly (02:11): Yeah. Yeah. When you first started doing karting on your own, was it more for fun or were you really quick right from the start? 

Charles (02:18): Uh, I think I was quite fast, but it was, it was still for, for fun. It was, it was just because I liked it, so, but then it becomes a bit more serious and I still loved it the same way I did when at five years old. So that's the positive point. And then for sure it's a bit more serious <coughs>.

F1 Weekly (02:45): Take your time--

Charles (02:46): <laugh>. For sure, It's a bit more serious now.

F1 Weekly (02:48): Okay. Now, uh, you've been racing or at least practicing with one of our friends, Jules Bianchi. Uh, we've known him for a few years. Tell us about your association with him and how much did you learn from him?

Charles (03:02): Uh, yeah, I drive with him, but not in the same category. We just have rental karts on his track and just drive with him. And yeah, that was more for fun than to, than to learn something, but it was really cool. And yeah, he learned me lots of things too, which we, he tell me and which helps me a lot. And I say thank you to him to say, to do that.

F1 Weekly (03:27): Now, in 2005 you were in minikart, 18 races, all from pole and 16 wins. What happened in the two races you did not win?

Charles (03:37): Oh, I can't really remember everything, but I know that the French, uh, cup, I was, uh, second in the last lap and in the last corner, a driver cut the truck and push me out. Then the, the other race, I think I had the technical problem or probably something like that, but yeah, it was really good. Yeah, but of course it was only in 2005 and in Minikart it's, it's not the same level, but, but now that I'm in international races, no.

F1 Weekly (04:07): Okay. Were you surprised that you were able to win almost all the races?

Charles (04:12): Yeah. Yeah. Surprised, but I didn't really realize because it was really for fun at the start. I was, I was very young and I was seven years old probably. So, it was really for fun at the start then, then it becomes serious and, and I still love this. I still love it.

F1 Weekly (04:30): 2010, you became the youngest winner in Monaco Kart Cup, which is a very prestigious, uh, event. Tell us about this, uh, race and who were some of your biggest competitors?

Charles (04:40): That was an amazing race, really an amazing race because it felt really good there. The middle in the heats, we were, we had a bit of problems and difficulties, but at, at the end, in pre-final, we, we started 30, I think at the end of the, at the start of the final. I finished at the start at the, at the end of the pre-final, I finished seventh, which was quite good because in the street, it's difficult to overtake. And then from seventh, uh, I did first, but yeah, it was, it was an amazing day to and to win, especially on, on my own current country, even more special and, and amazing.

F1 Weekly (05:20): Last year you were KF3 world champion. How does it compare, uh, with the victory in Monaco Kart Cup?

Charles (05:27): Oh, of course, to be world champion is, is much better. The feeling is crazy, and I loved it. I hope to be a second time and all the time World champion, but yeah, it was amazing. It was amazing.

F1 Weekly (05:40): Okay. Like your friend Jules Bianchi, uh, you are also part of the All Road Management. Uh, tell us please how you hooked up with Nicolas Todt <Sorry?> You are with All Road Management, right? So how did you meet and hook up with Nicolas Todt?

Charles (05:55): Uh, we take contact with our management after the, after the, after the Monaco Cup that I won. Uh, we went in Geneva and uh, we meet with Nicolas Todt. Everything went very well. And, uh, now, now they are just, they are helping me a lot, a lot. And I say big thanks to them, very big thanks because, uh, if today I'm here in Las Vegas and if I won the World Cup last year too, it's because of them and no one else, of course, with, of my family too.

F1 Weekly (06:27): Now, Nicolas Todt has also started this ART Grand Prix team. Um, how challenging was it to work with a brand new manufacturer?

Charles (06:35): Uh, yeah, yeah, he did a, a new brand of chassis and I think it's, it's really amazing what he did because the first year of, of this chassis we are here and very competitive. We did first at the European Championship, second at the European Championship, won the <inaudible> fifth and sixth at the World Cup. I think it's, and second at the World Championship too. I think it's really amazing that what they did. And uh, yeah, it was a challenge to be at the start of the year to develop everything and everything, but it went very well and it was quite easy because everyone like, uh, give lots of work to the team and everything went well. So that's perfect. But yeah, we still have a bit to improve, but it's only the first year, so I'm su-- I'm sure next year there will be very good, very good.

F1 Weekly (07:27): For the young karting drivers you have raced all over Europe, America, wherever. Apart from you, who do you think are also some very good kart drivers?

Charles (07:36): Sorry?

F1 Weekly (07:37): Who are some of the best kart drivers who have, whom you have raced against your com-- com-- competition? Who are good drivers?

Charles (07:44): Oh, you know, in Europe, uh, I think all the drivers are very good. Probably not <inaudible> are, are not very good, but then there's a li-- a little more, which does the difference. And then there's, I, I can't say one to be competitive because if I say one I will say 100, you know? So yeah, lots of drivers are, are very competitive. Okay.

F1 Weekly (08:08): Cool. Talking of next year, I get the impression you look ready for Formula Renault, what's happening next year?

Charles (08:15): Now Formula Renault is a bit early because, uh, probably I look older, but I'm only 15, which is a bit early for me to go in Formula. So we will say we didn't decide yet, but normally it's not Formula Renault or it's pretty sure that we don't do Formula. We will still do karting, but we are not sure about the category yet. Probably KF1 or probably KF2, I don't know yet.

F1 Weekly (08:40): France has produced some, uh, very famous drivers. Have you ever met Alain Prost or, uh, Mr. Jean Alesi?

Charles (08:47): Uh, no, I didn't meet them. No, I didn't. But I'm from Monaco, which is not really like France. Yeah, it's really close, but yeah.

F1 Weekly (08:54): Okay, cool. Okay, uh, finally, um, Formula One season is coming to an end. We have a race in the United States this weekend. Uh, who would you like to see win Nando or, uh, Sebastian?

Charles (09:07): Uh, I don't really know, but the one which I will like to be in Formula One, the soonest as possible is Jules Bianchi, which is very talented, and I hope next year he will get the chance to go in it because he definitely deserve it to go in it.

F1 Weekly (09:21): Okay, great. I appreciate your time. Now finally, I want you to give a message to listeners. Some say something to our listeners. Tell them about your website, uh, a message in English and your language, français, please.

Charles (09:34): Oh, so I would like, first of all to say a big thanks to All Road Management, again, to all my sponsors, Richard Mille, and to Formula Medicine, who helps me, uh, which does mental training and physical training, which helps me very like a lot, a lot. And, uh, then yeah, I think my website. <Yeah, please.> The website is www  point charles leclerc point com and, uh--

F1 Weekly (10:04): And how about the same message in français?

Charles (10:08): Uh--

F1 Weekly (10:09): Whatever you want to say. Say,

Charles (10:10): Okay. [Speaks in french....].