Leclerc: I’ve grown a lot as a driver and as a person

The popular driver from Monaco was destined to be a Ferrari driver, from his induction into the FDA programme in 2016, the Italian team's backing his GP3 and F2 season while providing him chances to drive for Haas and Sauber as a development driver.

After winning the 2017 F2 title with Prema Racing, in 2018, Leclerc began his rookie season with Sauber and after his second year, he earned his promotion to the Scuderia, alongside Sebastian Vettel, for 2019.

It soon became clear that Leclerc was the 'chosen one' as Vettel struggled with a collapse in form that resulted in his axing to make way for Carlos Sainz.

No matter how it is sugar-coated by Ferrari to pacify anyone, particularly the Sainz clan, Leclerc is the 'chosen one' and designated team leader for now, as the length of his contract and his unwavering popularity at Maranello suggests.

His F1 journey that began with testing for Haas and Alfa, began with the Sauber -Alfa and was followed by the big step up, from a modest-sized outfit to the colossus that is Ferrari, and everything that comes with driving for the sport's most adored team.

The two years at Hinwill were clearly a good springboard to Maranello for the 23-year-old, who admits he slotted in just fine and recalled his first day as an official Ferrari driver: "I was very, very impressed by how many people were working on the cars.

"I mean, at Ferrari we are a lot of people and at the beginning, I felt quite lost, to be honest. I really didn't know to who I should speak to if I had that or that issue. Although I had a lot of things to learn, it felt like I've known about them for a long time."

Nevertheless, he admits it took "nearly a year to understand exactly the dynamics of the team, how you face issues, how you react to those problems. It is a very, very long time but it’s very, very interesting.

"To live it feels a lot shorter, you can feel all the steps and every time you are learning something. When you apply it you just get a better understanding of how everything works. Also, you feel more in control of the situation," he added during a Beyond The Grid podcast.

Of his third year as a fully-fledged Red, he said: "I feel I’ve grown a lot as a driver and as a person. How much better? It’s difficult to quantify, but I definitely feel a better driver compared to when I first arrived.

"Just how much detail we are going into after every difficult race but every good race we’ve had… but it’s made it very interesting; it’s a sport where I am always learning and I think everyone on this grid is learning every time they get into the car," ventured Leclerc.

During the podcast, he was asked to compare teammates, Sainz and Vettel; he said: "It's a difficult question. Carlos is a very, very good teammate. I wouldn't know between Seb and Carlos, I think Seb has had his good days.

"I mean, the last year was more difficult for his but on his good days, he was just incredible and just incredibly difficult to beat, if not impossible. Carlos is just very, very consistent. So it's different approaches, but both of them are very, very strong.

"I saw Seb a little bit more like an older brother. I mean the big difference is he had so much more experience. It's not the same type of competition that I had with Seb and what I have with Carlos.

"With him, we are more or less at the same age, we are so competitive with everything. Seb had more experience, he had no need to win everything and always be the best.

"Carlos is a bit different, I can see he gets pissed off when I'm beating him at anything. It can be the most stupid thing and he will get so angry... and the same applies for me!" added Leclerc.

Ahead of the 2021 season resumption with the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of the month, Round 12 at Spa-Francorchamps, Leclerc is seventh in the drivers' standings, three points behind teammate Sainz. Ferrari are third in the constructors' championship.