CHARLES Leclerc is one of the top competitors in Formula One, having finished runner-up in the drivers’ standings for the 2022 season.
Here we look at the Ferrari man’s salary, career and net worth.
SplashIn 2023 Charles Leclerc has the third-highest salary in Formula One[/caption]
Who is Charles Leclerc?
Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc was born on October 16, 1997 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
His nickname in Italy is ‘il Predestinato’, which translates to ‘The Predestined’, and was given to him by F1 commentator Carlo Vanzini.
He competed from an early age in karting, becoming French Champion in 2009, winning the Monaco Kart Cup in 2010, the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy and the Junior World Cup in 2011.
Leclerc was the top rookie in Formula Renault in his first season, and then also in Formula Three the following year.
In 2016 he won the GP3 Series before dominating the 2017 season of FIA Formula Two.
He was spotted by Nicolas Todt in 2010 and joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016.
Charles entered Formula one in 2018 with Alfa Romeo Sauber F1, before moving to Ferrari in 2019, where his teammate was four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
Following seven pole positions, 10 podiums and two victories, Leclerc finished fourth in the 2019 World Championship and extended his contract with Ferrari until 2024.
The 2020 season was below the Monegasque driver’s expectation as he finished on the podium on just twice, finishing eighth overall.
In 2021, Charles secured two more pole positions and a podium.
In 2022 he had an excellent season, finishing as runner-up behind Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.
Aside from racing, Leclerc has recently hit the headlines after embarking on a career in the music business.
He released his debut single titled AUS23 (1:1) in April.
The four-minute classical song features Charles playing the piano.
According to ESPN, Leclerc spent time inside the Top 10 of the Worldwide iTunes song chart following the release of his song.
The title of the track, AUS23 (1:1) is a tribute to the Australian Grand Prix, which inspired the track.
Leclerc did not start playing the piano until the Covid-19 pandemic, but has “fallen in love with the instrument” after spending time playing it.
The Ferrari star said on his Spotify page: “I’m excited to share with you a piano song that I’ve been working on, born out of my passion for music and created as a way to disconnect from racing and relax in between races.
“I’ve created this song around the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix which is why I called it AUS23 (1:1). This is the way we call the Australian Grand Prix in my Formula One team and thought it would be a nice connection to the racing world.
“After posting a story on Instagram of me playing that piano piece I had composed, I had a lot of positive feedback from the fans that inspired me to record it, making it easier for fans to enjoy my music.
“My love for music has always been there, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that I started playing the piano.
“With more time at home, I decided to buy a piano and learn to play. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with the instrument and find myself playing it whenever I’m at home.”
Charles has also hilariously put himself forward to represent Monaco at next year’s Eurovison.
The country withdrew from the 2007 edition due to poor results and three failures to qualify.
But on hearing the news Monaco could be back for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest due to the launch of TV Monaco and its membership with the European Broadcasting Union, Leclerc took to social media to offer his services.
On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “I’m ready .”
What is Charles Leclerc’s net worth?
Reports of Leclerc’s net worth vary dramatically.
At the bottom end EssentiallySports puts it at $12million (£9.7million).
In the middle CelebrityNetWorth judges it to be $40million (£32.3million).
Whereas at the other end of the spectrum Sportskeeda believes Charles has amassed a whopping $125million fortune (£101million).
What is Charles Leclerc’s salary at Ferrari?
Leclerc’s 2023 salary at Ferrari is reportedly $36million (£29million).
This makes him the third-highest earning racer in F1.
Unsurprisingly, the two drivers ahead of him are Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.