Laurent Mekies (Ferrari): “Regarding Charles, there are no limits”

Charles Leclerc has it evolved a lot since the start of the season?

Yes and it is still evolving. What's most striking is that it's exploding in every department that makes a pilot. Both in terms of driving sensations and interaction with the team.

In terms of pure speed, we noticed at the start of the season that he was progressing in stages, every two or three races on average. The same goes for understanding the self and what it wants. He reminds me of Sebastian (Hag. Editor’s note) in his early days at Toro Rosso. It's the same explosion.

How did he manage the Monza week?

When we wear colors Ferrari, Monza is a special event. And it was even more so this year because of the celebrations around the 90th anniversary. The Milan event was incredible with all the excitement.

There were 25 fans in the Piazza del Duomo and, from Wednesday, Charles was bathed in this incandescent fervor. She could have paralyzed him, but she acted as a stimulant, including for the team. He handled this excess of emotions quite well.

His greatest strength is his mind?

This is indeed one of its greatest strengths. You just have to listen to conversations on the radio to be convinced of this. On Sunday, he spent 53 laps under gigantic pressure and just focused on what he needed to know to go faster. Not one more question, not one less question.

Few drivers have put Monza in such a state of jubilation. Could he be destabilized by this passion that he is beginning to unleash?

Charles has a strong mind and an innate ability to resist pressure of all kinds but, even more, he has human values. Over a weekend, there is the public part, supporters, media, and there is the work part with the team.

He is very comfortable in his environment. Very casual. It’s an environment where everyone – engineers, mechanics, pilots – tries to learn and Charles is in that dynamic. Therefore, it is more protected than one might think.

Should we see a cause and effect relationship between Charles' rise to power and the difficult period that Sebastian is going through?

No not at all. Mattia (Binotto, director of Sports Management at Ferrari. Editor's note) pushes us to work as a team. In good times and in bad times, he manages to make our two drivers work together. There is no communicating vessel at this level.

Charles knows that he has a great champion in front of him and Seb knows the value of his teammate. They are both the engines of the team and there are no hiccups. They do what they have to do very well together. They operate in a very competitive environment which requires good management of people, which Mattia manages to do wonderfully well.

Is Charles ready to seek a world champion title?

Didn’t he just say yes twice? Regarding Charles, there are no limits. If we could have put him in the position this season to play for the title, he would be working towards it.