Chapter Text
Sebastian Vettel.
“Herzlichen Glückwunsch!” Sebastian grins at the young man and chuckles when his eyes widen. Charles beams at him, cheeks flushed from the heat and hair sticking on his forehead. His white race suit is damp from the champagne, he looks like a proper mess— but also like a true World Champion.
“Danke”, says Charles, the single word dripping with his french accent but oh so clearly showing his happiness.
“You did good”, he praised the young man, speaking truthfully. Charles didn’t only just do good, he did incredible— he has done something incredible and almost impossible. When Seb met the young driver, he thought like many others that he would become a Ferrari driver. But Charles didn’t waste his talent and instead paved his own way to victory.
Pascale Leclerc.
Pascale has always known that Charles was different from other children. The obsession he showed to anything related with cars, later with racing, paired with his own ambition— not every child is like this. She watched her little angel, her little rascal grow up, become a terror to his fellow competitors and impressing the right people.
She had known his faults and his best sides— Pascale knows her children like any mother does and Charles is no different to that. So of course she knows, she knows that while he finally fulfilled his dream, he abandoned another. She sees it clearly on how he steers away from the iconic red cars, how instead he lets his brother fulfill his dream, his father’s dream.
Pascale knows how much her son is hurting, despite his brilliant smile. Despite him doing the impossible, despite him winning again and again, her son had always been a sensible soul.
She knows of his tears that he tries to hide, she knows of his pain, hidden away by his achievements and records.
And like any mother would, she takes him in her arms, tells him how much she loves him, how proud she is and promises to support him in any decision he makes. She can’t do more, not when her son is all grown up now.
Fernando Alonso.
Fernando has known, the moment Charles Leclerc stepped in the world of Formula One, that this one will be special. He has seen it in Monaco, the young man dragging a Sauber in third place, he has seen it in the replays, the maneuvers he pulled on more experienced drivers.
But he has especially seen it in Charles himself. Charismatic but friendly, professional but humorous— just the right amount of everything, with so much ambition in that tiny tiny body.
Charles Leclerc was born to be a Formula One racer, he was born to be a winner. And now, he's showing it to the whole world and Fernando couldn’t be more proud. Not when he knows that the future of the racing world has someone like him, leaving the old people like him or Hamilton behind.
(He’s also very proud to be a grid dad of the little shit, no matter what Seb says, he’s definitely Charles’ favorite.)
Lewis Hamilton.
Despite what many would say, Valtteri isn’t his favorite teammate. Not anymore. Not when Charles exists. Someone who challenges him and succeeds, all without holding a grudge against him.
Charles has become a dear friend to him, if not one of his closest, despite ‘taking’ the Championship from him. Charles has become close to him, wiggling into his life and heart so seamlessly. He has done everything Nico failed to do. He has shown his own weaknesses to his teammate and greatest rivals, but didn’t back up from the challenge.
Despite being such a complicated character, Lewis couldn’t think of someone much easier to understand than Charles. Charles… Charles is so similar to him but also so much better. He didn’t become bitter, despite the many bitter things happening to him.
Lewis admires Charles and he knows that Charles admires him as well. The mutual feelings only helped to grow the closeness between them, becoming the iconic ‘Silver Prince Duo’ the press dubbed them and staying true to the name.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are one of the greatest teammates, rivals, duo’s, friends in the history of Formula One.
Arthur Leclerc.
His brothers are with him, when he signs for Ferrari, making him teammates with Carlos Sainz. They’re with him and they’re beaming with pride. He ducks his head when Enzo ruffles his hair and almost stumbles when Charlie slaps on his back.
Charlie— Charles. His brother. He should have this seat, bright red instead of the eerie white, he should be here, in the midst of— but instead it’s him, the youngest Leclerc, all thanks to Charles.
He knows, god, he knows how much he owes Charles. He wouldn’t be here, with Fred, with Carlos, with Ferrari, he would be still battling and probably losing in the lower categories. He knows — the money, the connections, he all owes it to Charles.
He knows and he won’t disappoint him. He won’t let his brother down. At least one Leclerc will be driving for Ferrari, making their father proud. They already have a World Champion in their family, now it’s his time to give back everything he can.
Toto Wolff.
Many doubted him, when he signed a young driver, an almost rookie next to Lewis Hamilton, a living legend. Many doubted him, when Charles began to challenge Lewis, and many will continue to doubt him.
But he doesn’t. He doesn’t doubt himself and his drivers, instead he fully believes in them. The deep trust he’s shown his drivers is not something usual in the Paddock, he knows, but ever since Charles admitted the truth. The truth of promising to become a Ferrari driver but instead fulfilling his dream of winning.
Ever since then, Toto has known that his team will continue to win, and be the brightest stars. His whole team, not just a singular driver.
And when they ask why he was so full of trust in these doubting moments, he will always reply with the same answer. Toto Wolff is a business man and he has done an investment he fully believed in.
(If his closer allies ask, no, he didn’t fall for Charles’ charm, it’s all his talent he has shown in his rookie year, don’t get your facts twisted.)
George Russell.
George is in his rookie season when Charles goes absolutely bonkers on track. He’s at the end of the end, barely coming along with his Williams while Charles finishes first and second, collecting points as if it’s the easiest he has done in his whole life.
He watches how history is made while he’s still in his awkward stage of trying to belong, watching how Charles has an actual chance of winning the Championship. He hears his bright laughter, the accented English, he sees the fumbling hands the moment he steps out of the car and the passion he shows.
George watches and knows, despite his plans for Mercedes, they will not succeed. No matter how many statistics he brings in front of Toto, no matter how he presents himself, never, never will he surpass what Charles Leclerc has done in the 2019 season. It seems unfair, as if he’s talking himself down, but no— he’s just being realistic.
While he is one of the 20 best drivers in the world, he’s nowhere near Charles. Not now, not at this stage, not with this car. And maybe he’ll never be.
Max Verstappen.
Max watches Charles. He has always watched him, keeping his eyes on him, even when half of the world was between them. He watched and watched, growing into his own seat, his own team, all while Charles slowly paved his way through the Formula World.
And then he started winning. Flushed and bright-eyed, Charles took everything with greedy, greedy hands, clinching victories close to him and not stopping .
It left him tumbling, losing his footing, and Charles, still the twelve year old boy— still the same and oh so differently passed him with a grin on his face and didn’t look back.
Charles never looks back. Never has and never will, he has proved the world again and again that he’s worthy. Worthy of everything, to stand among legends, to become a champion, to become a legend on his own.
It leaves him breathless, everytime he sees Charles above him, arms raised to the sky, soaked in champagne— and Max… and Max stumbles behind him, slowly catching up, taking years to be in the same league, years until he finally becomes a World Champion as well, years to become a legend, years to be worthy to stand next to him.
(Charles Leclerc has several rivalries with notable drivers, but the biggest one in the history of Formula One will forever be with Max Verstappen.)
Victoria.
She smiles gently, seeing her blessed one succeed. Fulfilling his dream, passion lighting up his soul and dedication pumping through his body. He has done it, her beloved chosen child, il predestinato .
Placing a gentle kiss on his hair, she watches how he does the impossible, scorching his name down in the history books, never letting this generation and the future ones forget about him. The wonder of Charles Leclerc, destined to bring glory to the most prestigious, instead clad in silver and black— they adore him the same.
She watches with keen eyes, her immortal heart filling with pride, with wonder, with adoration. And yet… she can feel his soul screaming, begging to be clothed in the bright red, to be surrounded by the warmth of the Tifosi. She can see his weariness slowly disappearing, she can see him pretending to be well, convincing even himself. She can see his heart begging for love, to be cherished and…
He’s happy, he has achieved his dream. He has won. But the color was all wrong.
So she blesses him once again.