David Coulthard suggested Charles Leclerc’s “poster boy” image in the Formula 1 paddock goes too far, questioning whether the Ferrari driver’s family-focused persona fits the sport’s serious nature. The former McLaren driver made the comments on the Up To Speed podcast while discussing whether Ferrari should have named a clear No. 1 driver between Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton entering the season.
Coulthard’s comments came after he described Leclerc as “blindingly fast” and a natural face for the sport, pointing to the 28-year-old’s wife Alexandra, their dog Leo, and the couple’s newly announced pregnancy as frequent fixtures in the paddock. “That’s all a bit too much, quite frankly,” Coulthard said, adding that Formula 1 is “a serious business” and “a dangerous business” rather than a “weekend away picnic.”
However, the Scot acknowledged his view may reflect a generational gap, noting his perspective comes from an “older generation” of drivers.
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Leclerc and Alexandra Saint Mleux (now Alexandra Leclerc) went public with their relationship in 2023, got engaged in November 2025, and married in a private Monaco ceremony on February 28, 2026, just before the start of the season. The couple adopted Leo, a miniature long-haired dachshund, in April 2024, and he has since become a paddock fixture in his own right. Leclerc described the dog’s popularity in an interview with GQ Sports, saying, “People know him more than me.”
Saint Mleux made her first public pregnancy appearance at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August, after formally confirming the news herself. The family has largely kept their relationship low-key despite being one of the most visible couples in the paddock, which contrasts with the level of attention Coulthard suggested has become part of Leclerc’s public image.
David Coulthard on Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s Season So Far
The Monégasque driver has established himself as the face of Ferrari since joining the team’s lineup in 2019, and initially held the upper hand over Hamilton following the seven-time champion’s arrival for the 2025 season. Hamilton has since spent much of the 2026 season ahead of Leclerc in the drivers’ standings, reigniting debate over whether Ferrari needs to formally prioritize one driver, though neither has stood on the podium in the last five races.
Asked directly which driver Ferrari should choose between the two, Coulthard pointed to Hamilton’s greater consistency this season despite Leclerc’s younger age and raw speed, saying the numbers currently favor the Briton over his Monégasque teammate. “They don’t have a choice,” he said. “They’ve employed two of the best drivers in the world. You then manage them as best you can. On last year’s performance, you’d say Charles. On this year’s performance, you’d say Lewis.
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“Lewis is more consistent and scoring more points at the moment. It shouldn’t be like that because Charles is in his 20s and has got all of that raw speed and energy, and Lewis is way, way at the other end of his career. But the facts don’t lie,” the 55-year-old concluded.
Coulthard’s remarks add to an ongoing conversation about Ferrari’s driver dynamic heading into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, even if his comments on Leclerc’s personal life proved the more talked-about takeaway. Whether Ferrari opts to formally back one driver or continues managing both on merit, the team’s next moves in Baku are likely to keep the debate alive.
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