Arthur Leclerc has adjusted his focus to endurance racing and now competes in the European Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class.
The Monegasque was very competitive this season and finished fourth in the championship standings after winning the 4 Hours of Imola.
Leclerc had to shift to endurance racing after being overlooked by Formula 1 teams for a seat at the end of last season.
He spent just one season in Formula 2 for DAMS but stuttered to 15th in the standings, lacking the consistency to challenge at the front over multiple rounds.
After being part of their junior academy, the 24-year-old still has a link to Ferrari and is now a development driver for the Formula 1 team.
He participated in the end-of-season WEC Rookie Test in the Ferrari No. 50 Ferrari 499P, which won at Le Mans earlier this season.
Leclerc told the official WEC website how the Hypercar differs from the LMP2 car he drives with in the European Le Mans Series.
Arthur Leclerc feels the Hypercar requires more precision than his LMP2 car
Leclerc was very competitive at the Bahrain International Circuit, topping the timesheets of the Rookie Test. He usurped Valentino Rossi, who had concerns before testing the BMW Hypercar.
The Monegasque has adjusted to endurance racing well this season, adapting to a new driving style and managing traffic.
These are very important skills to learn in WEC and ELMS, and they are also different from the ladder up to Formula 1, where Leclerc has spent most of his career.
Leclerc explained the Hypercar is much heavier than the LMP2 car and is more complicated due to the hybrid system, which needs to be managed effectively.
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He said: “The key at first was to get familiar with it because it’s obviously completely different to the LMP2 that I’m used to driving – it’s heavier with more horsepower, and you can feel it’s really fast.
“The Hypercar requires a lot of precision – more so than in LMP2 – and if you make a small mistake, you pay straightaway in terms of lap time.
“It’s a bit more complex and challenging to drive, but the team gave me a lot of support, and I felt quite good in the car.”
Arthur Leclerc may not have any chances to race in WEC next season
Leclerc has been competing in a dual campaign of ELMS and the Italian Gran Turismo Endurance Championship.
He won the latter alongside former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella after clinching the title at Monza to end his first season in the series.
Despite a competitive season, Leclerc may not have any chances to compete in WEC, particularly in the Hypercar class.
Ferrari have been very successful in the Hypercar class, winning at Le Mans twice with two very competitive works cars.