Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc recently confessed his admiration for endurance racing, specifically mentioning the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Fans of the team took this statement with a pinch of salt, especially since Leclerc is just establishing himself in F1, having spent 3 years in the sport.
Leclerc has now dismissed any fears that he is planning to leave the sport, saying that he only said the statement lightly and with no ulterior motive.
“I said it lightly, but it was taken very seriously by the media. It’s a competition that I really like. But I’m 100% focused on F1,” Leclerc said.
He spoke about why the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a race of importance to him.
“Since I was little, I have often done endurance races in karting, it remains the best memories I have of karting or in general in the world of motorsport.
“When I was younger, we did the 24 hours de Brignoles, sometimes the 42 hours of Brignoles. We did it with Jules Bianchi, my brothers and a lot of kart drivers from that time and it remained, for me, memories that I will never forget.
“That’s what makes me want to try it even more, in a very different way and maybe a little more serious because it’s still the 24 hours of Le Mans. Sounds good to me to do them.”
It is worth noting that like Fernando Alonso at McLaren, Leclerc may also get the chance to compete in the prestigious race some time in the future.
However, he will be keen to notch a world championship or two before that happens.
Having established his credentials last season, especially with Sebastian Vettel massively struggling through the year, Leclerc will hope Ferrari can offer him a more competitive car this time.
If not this year, he will hope that his time comes next season once the new regulations are enforced.