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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on Social Media and Music

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1d ago

Sep 24, 2024 / 5406 Views

Ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Scuderia Ferrari driver and newly minted ambassador for Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% Charles Leclerc cools down with us (or as much as the city’s blisteringly hot and humid weather allows).

How did your relationship with Peroni start?

The talks started with Ferrari first, and then I tried the product and really liked it. My Lifestyle also fits well with the Peroni brand. I’m someone who likes to have good moments and I share some of these on social media, and we saw a fit. The campaign has been incredibly successful, showing a bit more of the Italian way of living. It fits me because that’s naturally me, and it’s also Peroni’s way of living.

You have this big interest in music. What does music mean to you personally and how do you find time to nurture it?

Yes, I really enjoy music. When I’m playing or listening to music, I can think about something else other than racing. It helps me to relax. That’s how I started music. Then, I put videos on Instagram and people seemed to like it. So, I thought I should release music so that everyone can enjoy it, too. Music is pure passion for me. I’m happy making it and that’s what matters to me most.

The hotel has been incredibly nice to put a piano in my room. I had an inspiration for a piece of music, so I tinkled the keys. I haven’t played in over two months. Once I get back to Monaco, I’ll put it into a proper song.

Can we expect a full-length album from you soon?

I’m not sure. In my first few songs, I played the piano and asked a violinist to layer the instrumental over it. It worked pretty well, and I liked it. Maybe one day, I’ll add more and more musicians. But I have very little time to dedicate to it. For now, it’s just easier to record myself on the piano.

Charles Leclerc at the Singapore Grand Prix 2024.

You had emotional wins in Monza and Monaco. What did that mean for you?

Never would I have imagine I would win those two races in a year. Monaco is my home race and I’ve had so many years where I was so close to winning it, but it didn’t pan out. So to win it finally is something really special and emotional.

As for Monza, it’s always an emotion. You get there on Tuesday in Milan and there are so many fans, and you can really feel that everyone is behind the team. So, there’s a lot of added pressure. So, to win it is really special.

How do you get into your mindset for raceday?

With today’s world, especially because of social media, you can be hyped up really quickly and you can be put down incredibly rapid as well. If I have a terrible race, people will say that it’s the worst time of my career, and if I win, people will say that I’m having an incredible time. As a driver, it’s important to be as emotionally flat as possible and take a step back from what the perception can be and analyse your situation without being affected by emotions and what people around you say. So it’s difficult to manage the highs and lows because it varies so much. I always have to remember to take a step back and not caring too much about what others say.

This story first appeared on Augustman Singapore