« He's got talent, ambition, and he works hard: three qualities to succeed in this profession. » Simon ABADIE (Formula Renault 3.5 Series - Tech One) « What characterizes Charles is his driving skill. It gives him an advantage during qualifications. He also wears down his tires less, which makes a big difference towards the end of the race. » Eric BERNARD (Former F1 driver) « Formula 1 has always been Charles's objective. Officially becoming part of the Marussia Virgin Racing team was the reward for the work he has accomplished over many years. Beneath his surfer look lies a competitor born with an unquestionable top speed, who is going to fly the French colors at the highest level once again.. » Morgan CARON (FFSA) « Charles has always been someone with exceptional qualities. He has worked tirelessly. » Nicolas MONI (Go-Karting) « Charles is an all-around sportsman. In addition to his qualities as a competitor, his head is in the right place. His education and his analytical ability are going to be an asset in his career evolution. » Lawrence FRANKOPAN (Lagardère Unlimited)

Biography

It was his godfather, Eric Bernard, who offered Charles his first go-kart on his 12th birthday.

What started out as a simple leisure activity quickly became a passion.

Charges began competition when he was 13 years old, under the watchful and demanding eye of Eric.

He made his way through the French and Italian go-karting championships, where he obtained strong results despite his lack of experience.

In 2006, he moved into single-seaters and finished 3rd in the French Formula Campus championship.

He then transitioned to Formula Renault 2.0, where he finished 3rd in Eurocup as 1st Rookie.

He then raced for two years in Formula Renault 3.5 as part of the Tech One team.

He caught the attention of specialists starting his first year: at the age of 18 he won a fabulous victory under the pouring rain in Monaco, after taking pole position. He finished as top Rookie in the championship.

In 2010, he joined the Arden team and moved into GP2. He spent time in England to get to know the team, and in that same year won 1 victory in Barcelona, 1 pole position, and 2 podiums.

In 2011, he decided to pursue a second year in GP2, this time choosing the Spanish team Addax. He moved to Valencia.

He earned 3 pole positions, won 2 victories, climbed the podium 5 times, all despite mechanical difficulties that robbed him of the 1st and 2nd line in Valencia and Spa, respectively.

In June 2011, he was selected by Team Lagardère Unlimited, which made its return to automobile racing official with him, and Olivier Panis became his technical advisor.

At the end of the season, he and Olivier Panis felt that he was ready for F1. With Lagardère Unlimited, they contacted several teams. It was Marussia Virgin Racing that showed the greatest interest in the young French driver, inviting him to come to Abu Dhabi for test days reserved for young drivers.

Convinced by his performance, the team signed him on as permanent driver for the 2012 season.