F2 – First match point for Leclerc in Jerez

Outrageously dominating the championship Formula 2 since the start of the season, Charles Leclerc now has a very comfortable lead of 59 points over his closest runner-up, namely the Briton Oliver Rowland on DAMS. Two weekends before the end of the season, there are 96 points left to distribute in the championship, or 38 per meeting. If the possibility of being titled in Spain is not a pipe dream, the Prema rider prefers to concentrate on obtaining the title itself, regardless of when he obtains it.

« The objectives set by the Ferrari Driver Academy at the start of the season was to do the best I could with the equipment I had, the Monegasque driver told us at Spa-Francorchamps. The car had just been champion, I could hardly aim for anything other than the title. With two rounds remaining, we have a 59-point lead. It would be very sad and disappointing not to win this championship. »

Just like Stoffel Vandoorne and Pierre Gasly, the last GP2 Series champions, Leclerc has a real chance of reaching the Formula 1, starting next season. His free practice sessions planned for the end of the season with Sauber go in this direction even if the Monegasque wants to tackle everything in its time.

« I hope to be in the Sauber seat next year. We'll see how things play out. But I don't want to know anything about 2018 until the end of the season. These are my advisors (Nicolas Todt is his manager, editor’s note.) who take care of it."

Mathematically, there are still 5 of them who can compete for the title of Formula 2 world champion this season: Leclerc, Rowland, Markelov, Ghiotto and Latifs. But it would be enough for Leclerc to lose less than 21 points on Rowland over the entire Spanish weekend to be champion and approach the last meeting in a calm manner. 

Find the entire interview with Charles Leclerc carried out by our special correspondent in issue 2133 of AUTOhedbo.