He is the F1 driver who scored his only points at the Monaco Grand Prix and ‘helped’ save Charles Leclerc’s racing career

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It’s Charles Leclerc’s homecoming this weekend as Formula 1 returns for another glitz and glamour-filled instalment of the Monaco Grand Prix.

The start of the 2025 Formula 1 season hasn’t quite been what he and Ferrari would have hoped to experience, but the last race at Imola suggests that things may be moving in the right direction.

Leclerc enjoyed a memorable Monaco Grand Prix last year, taking pole position and winning around the streets where he grew up.

It was a touching moment and one that would have left his family and friends proud. Sadly, a drivers’ championship push didn’t materialise thereafter, but he did at least get over his biggest duck.

Leclerc’s Imola onboard was a ‘massive mess’ as the Scuderia struggled to fine-tune their setup on Friday, before growing into the weekend and partially recovering on Sunday.

After seven races, Lewis Hamilton has struggled more than Leclerc. The Italian team will be under pressure to deliver soon, but a repeat of last year’s successes in Monaco feels unlikely. The mechanical grip of their car isn’t as strong as it was in 2024.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside of F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Jules Bianchi scored his only F1 points at Monaco and once ‘helped’ save Charles Leclerc’s racing career

The road to Formula 1 for many young drivers is a long, strenuous affair. For Leclerc, it had many hurdles, which he battled through admirably.

Back in 2011, his karting career looked to be coming to an end before one special figure in his life stepped in and helped him to keep going. That man was Jules Bianchi.

“He helped me in my career until, unfortunately, his accident in 2014 in Japan,” Leclerc told the Gentleman’s Journal last year.

Before his tragic passing as a result of a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, Bianchi had been on the fast track to a Ferrari seat. The Frenchman was born in Nice, France, just down the road from Monaco. He won multiple junior category titles including Formula Renault 3.5 twice, and GP2 (now Formula 2).

He nearly received an opportunity to be Force India’s driver for 2013 after completing nine practice sessions the year prior, but stepped up last-minute to replace Luiz Razia at Marussia after his contract was terminated instead.

Bianchi’s first season in 2013 was a learning curve. Driving for a backmarker team was tough, but most within the paddock knew how strong his talents were.

During his second campaign in 2014, he helped to deliver the almost hopeless Marussia team their first points in the sport with a heroic drive to ninth place, despite incurring a five-second penalty.

Despite being around the sport for 34 races, he left a profound impact, and his words to Nicolas Todt, who subsequently funded Leclerc’s junior career, played a massive role in his future successes.

READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer explains what’s currently being ‘overlooked’ about Charles Leclerc amid Lewis Hamilton hype at Ferrari

How does Charles Leclerc rank among all Ferrari Formula 1 drivers after six years?

With 133 race starts, Leclerc has now completed the fourth-most races for Ferrari of any driver in their history (behind Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa).

He has the second-most pole positions (26) behind only Schumacher, and is tied for fifth-most podiums with current rival Fernando Alonso.

With 1,452 points, he has officially scored the most points of any Scuderia driver, a record which he took from ex-teammate Sebastian Vettel (1,400) earlier this year.

The Monegasque driver’s current deal sees him through until the end of 2029, by which point, he will likely go on to break many more records by then.