Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc has stated he will not treat world champion Max Verstappen any differently from other drivers on the current Formula 1 grid.
After the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, McLaren questioned Max Verstappen’s racecraft following an incident with Lando Norris while they were battling for the first place of the race. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella suggested that Max Verstappen’s maneuvers in the braking zone stemmed from his aggressive defensive moves during the 2021 Formula 1 championship, which went unpunished.
Haas Formula 1 driver Nico Hulkenberg emphasized that drivers need to be aware of their competitors’ tactics and incorporate that knowledge into their strategy and calculations. Despite his extensive history racing against Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc insists he will not make exceptions for the three-time Formula 1 world champion.
“You get to know the drivers more and more. And with Max, he’s probably the driver that I know most on the grid as we have driven against each other from a very long time, since back in 2010, I think. You know more or less how each driver is going to react or fight or defend or attack you. However, I don’t fight them in different ways, any of them.”
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have a rich history of on-track duels in Formula 1, building on a rivalry that dates back to their junior days. Although the Monegasque driver has acknowledged that he won’t change his approach specifically for Max Verstappen, the Ferrari driver admitted that there are certain scenarios where it’s more prudent to avoid confrontation.
“I’ll always try and fight them in the same way. It mostly depends on the situation you are in, and of course if you are fighting for a fifth place in the championship, and Max is 100 points ahead, you might not fight him as hard. But when a win is on the table, I will always go flat out with whoever I’m fighting with.” – Charles Leclerc concluded.
Leave a Reply