Charles Leclerc eager for 24 Hours of Le Mans debut

Charles Leclerc has revealed that he is eager to make his debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but must figure out how to do so alongside his F1 commitments for Ferrari.

The Monegasque was in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Friday night to attend the end-of-season FIA prize-giving gala, where he supported Ferrari's title success in the World Endurance Championship.

While Ferrari endured a difficult F1 season, it enjoyed much success in endurance racing, collecting the Hypercar manufacturers' and drivers' titles.

Winning for Ferrari is the dream for the majority of racing drivers, something Leclerc has experienced on several occasions.

Discussing what winning for Ferrari feels like, Leclerc said at the FIA gala: "It's extremely special. Obviously, it's always been my dream to be driving for the red team.

"And to be [at the gala], supporting our big family — obviously, with them having won in WEC and having so much success in a year like this — is incredible.

"The legacy that Ferrari has left in motorsport will forever be there, and I'm super proud to be part of it somehow. Now it's up to us to live up to expectations, just like my teammates in endurance do."

For Leclerc, despite having several years in F1 still ahead of him, the 28-year-old is very much keen to taste endurance racing himself.

Like several current F1 drivers, Leclerc wants to race at Le Mans, although he wants to ensure he does so when he can give the event the respect it deserves.

Asked if he fancied racing at Le Mans, Leclerc replied: "Definitely. Actually, quite a few times.

"Now I need to find a way to try and combine Formula 1 and Le Mans, because if I do something, I want to do it to try and win. For that, it needs preparation, because the level is super high. But for sure, I would love to."