Ferrari confirms Charles Leclerc's Brazil race plan after first child

Ferrari has confirmed that Charles Leclerc will miss Thursday's media commitments at the Brazilian Grand Prix following the birth of his first child.

The Monegasque driver and his wife, Alexandra, announced earlier this week that they had welcomed their daughter, Bianca.

Ferrari has now explained what this means for his race weekend in São Paulo.

Drivers' Thursday media commitments are normally mandatory, but an absence like this is treated as an approved exemption rather than a breach of the regulations.

"Charles has been exempt of attending media activities today in São Paulo, following the birth of his daughter," the team posted on social media.

The Maranello outfit added that Leclerc will arrive at the track in time to take part in the remainder of the race weekend.

"He will resume regular track activities from tomorrow morning," Ferrari added.

Leclerc is already due to be replaced by Dino Beganovic in the first practice session as part of the mandatory rookie outings.

This means Leclerc's first on-track session this weekend will be FP2.

Beganovic's FP1 appearance will be his third of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

He previously drove in Barcelona and Austria as part of Ferrari's rookie programme.

The team had initially planned to run Rafael Camara for the practice session.

But plans for Camara's practice debut changed when Haas announced he would replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the season.

There are just four rounds remaining in the 2026 season.

While Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden championship title at the Mexican Grand Prix, the fight for second in the standings continues.

Leclerc currently sits fifth in the championship.

Only 16 points separate the 29-year-old and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in second.

The Brazilian Grand Prix will take place at Interlagos on Sunday 8 November at 2pm local time (5pm UK time).

Alexandra Saint-Mleux, now known as Alexandra Leclerc, is a French-Mexican social media personality, art enthusiast, and fashion influencer.

She studied Art History at L'École du Louvre in Paris, where she focused on 20th-century art.

Her academic interests include the works of well-known artists such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, and Georgia O'Keeffe.

Alexandra has also maintained a separate social media account dedicated to art, where she shares exhibitions, paintings, and other works that reflect her interests.

Apart from her social media presence, Alexandra has professional experience in the art industry.

She has worked as an art assistant at the Hôtel des Ventes de Monte-Carlo auction house and in public relations for Monaco Art Week.

She has also been associated with Kamil Art Gallery in Monaco, where she has worked in art coordination and public relations.

Her growing popularity has also opened opportunities in fashion and beauty.

She has collaborated with brands such as Rhode, Jacquemus, Alo, and Meshki, and has appeared in fashion publications, including ELLE and Vogue.

In addition to these activities, Alexandra established the Corazones Unidos Fund, a charitable initiative that supports children in Mexico through education, creativity, music, and art.