Charles Leclerc discusses Hamilton and Verstappen’s F1 combat styles. Charles on Hamilton and Verstappen's F1 combat styles.

Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc feels Formula 1 title contenders Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have different combat styles, with the Mercedes driver being “very clever” positionally, while the Dutchman “a bit more aggressive”.

Max Verstappen is currently leading the Formula 1 Driver Standings, as Formula 1 heads to Russia for the next round, with just eight races until the end of the season. And it is a close fight which led to several controversial moments between the two drivers and their teams.

The pair raced wheel-to-wheel without any major incident in the first events of the 2021 championship, but crashed spectacularly at in the British Grand Prix and most recently at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago. In recent tears Max Verstappen has regularly been accused of being too aggressive, but in Silverstone it was Lewis Hamilton who was penalized and criticised for what Red Bull said was a desperate and amateurish move.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who has a rivalry with Max Verstappen dating back to their karting days and raced closely with both drivers at times during 2019, said in his experience Hamilton races more cleanly but added he enjoyed Verstappen’s approach as well.

“They have two different styles,” said Charles Leclerc, as reported by The Race. “Max is a bit more on the aggressive side, Lewis a bit more on the clean side. It’s nice to be fighting with both of them. Lewis is always very, very clever in the way he positions his car to put you in a difficult situation. And he most of the time manages to make the pass in a clean way. Max is a little bit more aggressive. But I enjoy racing with both, and if anything I quite like fighting with Max because it’s always really on the limit.” – he added.

Lewis Hamilton received a ten-second time penalty for his move on Verstappen in the British Grand Prix (yet it was not enough to stop him from winning the race, as the Mercedes driver: Charles had led for almost the entire race, which was seen as unexpected given the relative pace of the Ferrari SF21 to the Mercedes W12 and the Red Bull RB16B, but Hamilton caught up to Charles on lap 50, where he overtook him for the lead) while Max Verstappen has a three-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix for causing their collision at Monza two weeks ago.

Charles Leclerc explained: “I wouldn’t be surprised” if they clash again before the season ends – “They are fighting for the championship as we are fighting for our positions which are not the top ones in the championship. We also don’t give much margin whenever I’ve got Lando [Norris] or one of the McLarens with me. It’s the same for them fighting for the championship, if not even more.” – the Monegasque driver added.

Charles Leclerc has crossed swords numerous times on track with both Verstappen and Hamilton, making him a well-informed judge of their respective styles.