Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will soon have a fresh voice guiding him from the pit wall as the team announced the reassignment of Xavi Marcos Padros, his race engineer since 2019, to other internal projects. Marcos Padros will transition to a different role within the team from May 13, just before the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
Leclerc, who has achieved all of his five Formula 1 victories, 23 pole positions, and 33 podium finishes alongside Marcos Padros, will now be supported by Bryan Bozzi, his current performance engineer, in the role of race engineer, effective from the Imola round onwards. This change marks the first time Leclerc will collaborate with a different race engineer since joining Ferrari for the 2019 season.
Expressing gratitude for their years of partnership, Leclerc acknowledged Marcos Padros' pivotal role in his career, highlighting significant milestones such as his maiden pole position and victory achieved under Marcos Padros' guidance. The transition comes after a successful collaboration spanning several seasons, including Leclerc's inaugural year with Ferrari, characterised by remarkable achievements on the track.
Despite their achievements together, Leclerc and Marcos Padros encountered challenges during the 2022 season, marked by strategic missteps and operational errors that hampered Leclerc's championship campaign. Notably, confusion over a pit stop during the Monaco Grand Prix led to a loss of position and frustration for Leclerc, impacting his championship standing.
Leclerc, currently positioned third in the drivers' championship standings with 98 points, remains poised to continue his pursuit of success alongside his new race engineer, Bryan Bozzi.
