Charles Leclerc says he “feels ready” to graduate to Formula 1, after getting behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF70-H during the in-season test in Hungary.
Leclerc, who joined Ferrari’s driver academy at the start of 2016, graduated to Formula 2 this year as reigning GP3 champion, and has emerged as the dominant force.
Leclerc has topped all seven qualifying sessions and taken five victories to open a 50-point advantage in the standings over Renault-backed DAMS rival Oliver Rowland.
Leclerc has carried out duties for Ferrari at the Hungaroring on Tuesday, his first time in a current-spec Formula 1 car since his Haas practice runs last year, and feels he can now make the step up to a race seat.
“It felt so good to be back in a Formula 1 car and to be with Ferrari is very special,” Leclerc explained.
“I love the car, I love the car to drive, I can attack, it’s exactly what I want to do in a racing car, it fits me quite well.
“I have done every possible step in junior formulas so yeah, I feel ready now, obviously it’s quite a big step to Formula 1 but I think I’ve done every possible step that’s useful for me.
“I don’t think there’s any other steps I need to do before coming to Formula 1.”
Leclerc, though, emphasised that he and Prema still has to keep pushing in Formula 2 to be assured of the title.
“I still need to keep working, there’s still four races to go,” he commented.
“We need to keep pushing, keep impressing, like we have done since the start of the season, if we finish like [this] it will feel perfect.”
