F1 News
Leclerc gets great 'down-to-earth' praise from former race engineer
Xavier Marcos Padros (also known as Xavi for many fans), has played a key role in Charles Leclerc's Ferrari journey. The Spaniard was the driver's race engineer until a mid-season switch that took place prior to the Emilia Romagna GP in May. Xavi only has praise for the Monegasque driver.
Former Ferrari engineer on his time with Leclerc
Talking to Formula1.it, the former Ferrari employee spoke about Leclerc's qualities. "Charles is an exceptional driver with an incredible natural talent. I had a lot of fun with him; we started together at Ferrari, and I have enormous respect for him. I care a lot about him," began the Spaniard, who now works in the WEC series.
'Xavi' joined Ferrari in 2018, and after initially working at their factory, he became Leclerc's first race engineer at the Scuderia. The partnership lasted nearly 5 years, but ahead of the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP, it was announced that Bryan Bozzi would replace the Spaniard. However, Marcos stressed that Ferrari will always remain in his heart, even after his departure from the team.
Marcos: 'Leclerc has remained down-to-earth'
Over the time he spent together with Leclerc, Marcos got to know the driver really well. According to him, winning Grand Prix races didn't change him at all. “As a person, he is humble, polite and has always treated me with respect," he continued praising Leclerc.
"Despite his success, he has always remained down-to-earth. When you're young, famous and a driver at Ferrari, it's easy to change. But he didn't - and that's something to admire him for," the former Ferrari race engineer concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Estéban den Toom
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