On Wednesday evening, Charles Leclerc saluted the memory of Charaf-Eddin Ait-Tales, one of the iconic fans of Formula 1 in recent years.
Blind since the age of 20, this passionate Frenchman, physiotherapist in the Paris region, traveled the world to attend the Grands Prix and meet his idols.
He died of cancer this week.
“Charaf was such a great person.
You always had a big smile on your face whenever we spoke together.
You were always so positive with always the right words when I was not well.
I will miss you as you will be missed in the whole paddock.
Rest in peace my friend, ”Charles Leclerc wrote on Twitter.
Charaf was such an amazing person.
You always had a huge smile on your face every time we spoke together.
Always so positive and always using the right words whenever I was feeling down.
I'll miss you, and the whole paddock will miss you.
Rest In Peace my friend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/P1fAp7D7Qb
- Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) March 17, 2021
“When I watch Formula 1, I completely forget that I'm blind because I know all the corners.
It is as if I saw.
F1 is my world, ”Charaf-Eddin Ait-Tales explained on the official F1 website.
"The weeks of grand prix, I close my office on Thursday noon to watch the press conference and I do not open it until the following Monday", amused the enthusiast whose Twitter profile is full of pictures where we see him posing with the stars of the discipline (Hamilton, Ricciardo, Sainz, Rosberg, Ocon, Kubica…).
In 2018, during a visit to Montmelo, this unconditional fan of Michael Schumacher had the nice surprise of being able to take a tour of the Catalonia circuit aboard a two-seater Formula 1.
Despite his handicap, he was able to announce the turns that the car was going to attack, proof of his great knowledge of the discipline.
His tears once returned to the garage had also moved fans around the world.
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