Leclerc admits racing for Ferrari would be a dream come true

Charles Leclerc admits that the dream is to one day race for Ferrari in Formula 1. The young Monegasque driver is a junior for the famous Italian squad and drove the 2017 car after the Hungarian Grand Prix, at the second in-season test of the year.

Leclerc is running away with the 2017 Formula 2 championship, leading nearest rival Oliver Rowland by 50 points. Having graduated to the series after winning GP3 in 2016, many believe he is poised for a 2018 Formula 1 race seat with Sauber, who will run with Ferrari engines.

Earlier this week, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen spoke about the 19-year-old and how he thinks he will go on to do great things. With Leclerc firmly eyeing up a spot on the 2018 grid, he admits that one day driving for Ferrari would complete the ultimate dream.

"It's true, racing for the Scuderia would be the realisation of a dream," he said to the official F1 website. "But for now I have to focus solely on winning in F2, on giving it my all over the next few months. If I don't succeed then I won't really go much further.

"The results in this first part of the season have been better than expected and we're clearly delighted about that. Seeing my name in the media more often and having it linked to Formula 1 and Ferrari is nice, but it's not putting any extra pressure on me. I am focusing on what I have to do with Prema, leaving others to think about my future."

Leclerc has endured a rough couple of years, having lost two people close to him. In 2015, he was parted with his very good friend Jules Bianchi, who he knew from his childhood. And earlier this year in June, his father passed away. Despite seeing his friend Bianchi pass away due to a race related injury, it doesn't strike fear into him while racing.

"It's true I feel stronger and have grown up a lot recently," he says. "I was helped a lot by the psychologists at the FDA, who made me realise how important it is for all of us to be mentally strong, especially if you are working as a racing driver. Today, I am more self-aware: racing is the biggest thing in my life, but I know there are other things in life and it's from them that I must draw even more energy.

"Fear? No, that doesn't exist," he insists. "Even after Jules' accident in Suzuka, I never had the slightest doubt about my future. I know that danger is part of racing, but when I'm in the cockpit, all I feel is the adrenalin rush and I have never driven even a single metre, afraid that something could happen."

Fergal Walsh