The Monaco sunlight filtered golden light through the window of the Leclerc family home. Charles Leclerc, the young and talented driver, sat in the corner of his room, his head buried in his hands. The house was almost silent, except for the soft ticking of the wall clock. Two days earlier, the tragedy that would change his life forever had occurred.

Charles’ father, Hervé Leclerc, who had supported and guided his son throughout his life in the world of motorsport, had been battling a serious illness for a long time. Although Hervé always presented himself as strong and cheerful, so as not to burden his sons, the disease was insidiously weakening him. One June night in the hospital, he closed his eyes forever, peacefully, without pain, while Charles and his brothers, Arthur and Lorenzo, were by his side. Hervé’s last words to Charles were: “Go on, my son… show the world what you can do.”

The family was devastated by the loss. Lorenzo tried to stay strong to support his brothers while Arthur cried silently on Charles’ shoulder. Their mother, Pascale, hugged her sons with a broken heart, trying to comfort them, but she herself felt lost. The emptiness that Hervé’s departure had left in the Leclerc house was lurking.

You, Charles’ girlfriend, had been there for him the whole time. You had been Charles’ support when no one else could listen. You held his hand silently as his eyes stared blankly into the distance.

Two days later, Charles made a decision: he would compete in the next Formula 2 race, because he knew that was what his father would want.

Standing on the starting grid, Charles closed his eyes and thought of his father. He could almost hear his voice, feel his presence, as if he were there, just as he had stood by the side of the go-kart track as a child.

The red lights went out and the race started. Charles led for his father in every lap, every corner. He crossed the finish line first, making Formula 1 history with this time. So he will be a Formula 1 driver from 2018!