Aug 29, 2022

Introducing The Cover Stars of GQ's September Issue, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc Grace Cover of GQ's September Issue

Ferrari’s two current F1 racers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz—rising young stars of motorsport, their profiles lately magnified by the popular Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive—hold realistic ambitions to bring championship titles back to Maranello after many years of drought. But both made ignoble debuts in town, they confess.

"So it’s tough on my mother. And I don’t know what to tell her. Other than: I love what I do. There’s nothing in particular I can say to make her feel better. I’m not going to say I’ll be careful. That wouldn’t be true. I’m going to give it my best, whatever. She knows: It’s a dangerous sport. It got massively safer through the years. But it will remain forever a dangerous sport. She knows, I’m the happiest once I’m in that car."

— Charles Leclerc

"If on a given day I feel tired, or sad, or maybe something’s not quite right with me, if I’m in a bad mood and I don’t know why. Shit, I’m a Ferrari driver. I’m in Maranello. I’m going to drive a simulator today. I’m going to test the car. And soon I’m gonna race."

— Carlos Sainz

Click Here To Read The Entire Cover Story

Writer: Tom Lamont

Tom Lamont is a writer for GQ.

Photographer: Jack Bridgland

Jack Bridgland is a photographer based in London, UK.