Charles Leclerc is a predestined to succeed not only for having deserved to debut in this season in Formula 1 and in the legendary Ferrari and not even for the compliments received from Lewis Hamilton. It is a predestined, for his exceptional race conduct, highlighting that his mindset is that one of the absolute level champions. At the beginning of the race, he was able to demonstrate that he had considerable self-control, reacting emotionally to the overtaking that caused him to go back into third position and immediately setting the reaction that led him from this position to the top of the race, surpassing his partner of team – because he went faster – and having also asked for the green light on the radio.
These actions highlight the high emotional control of a 21-year-old athlete, who did not let it go to his head in being the youngest Ferrari driver to get pole position but struggled with determination throughout the race. This is the example of what is called open mind, which requires removing from the mind what it has been done previously, the day before but also a few moments before, to put one’s physical and mental energy only in the realization of what should happen in the following moments, since in a few seconds you overtake or overtake yourself, you keep the pressure on the opponent, you say in practice “I’m here and I’m going to take you”. This is the killer instinct that as the legendary Rod Laver always remember means: “Never allow the opponent to think that it will be easy to compete with you”. Charles Leclerq has shown he has this quality.
The problem with his Ferrari in the final, deprived him of the victory he deserved, but here again Leclerc showed his ability to react quickly to an external disturbing factor, the mechanical one, and one internal to himself, which competitive reaction to have. He has been tough, he did not show signs of emotional discouragement or anger and reasoned in order to reach the third position, taking advantage of the entry of the safety car, allowing him two laps from the deadline of not being overcome thus losing the third position and without push too much because he would have run out of gas. These are behaviors, that watching the race from the sofa at home, may seem obvious but, for those who live the competition in the first person, are instead situations to be used with awareness and competence, that only a driver able to manage these external and internal factors will be able to lead. With this race, Charles Leclerc has joined in the wake of the champions of every sport, for his ability and propensity to use competitive stresses at his advantage, continuing in this way he will be able to reach them and discover the subtle pleasure one feels in being of absolute level.
