04/11/2020
NEWS STORY
Since swapping Sauber for Ferrari for the 2019 championship, Charles Leclerc has undoubtedly established himself as one of Formula One's best drivers.
Unfortunately, however, the Monegasque driver has been unable to showcase his true talent throughout 2020. After winning both the Belgian and Italian Grand Prix races last year, the 23-year-old endeared himself to the Tifosi, with many now believing that he will one day become the drivers' world champion. So, let's take a look at how Leclerc is driving his Ferrari SF1000 to the limit.
Out to Prove a Point
As a racing driver, few things can be more demoralising than watching fellow racers drive off into the distance ahead of you. For Ferrari, that has been a constant theme throughout 2020. Despite their race-winning resurgence at the back end of 2019, the team's boss, Mattia Binotto, claimed that FIA restrictions cost the Prancing Horse engine power, which is one of the reasons behind their current below-par results.
Although the Ferrari 065 engine hasn't delivered the sought-after performance, Leclerc has surpassed all expectations. At the time of writing, the 23-year-old has been responsible for both of the 16-time constructors' champions podium positions thus far. The opening Grand Prix of the year at Austria saw Leclerc battle to second place, while he later finished third at Silverstone three races later. By comparison, Sebastian Vettel - who's leaving to join Aston Martin at the end of 2020 - has failed to finish any higher than sixth in the opening 13 races.
The four-time drivers' champion has himself admitted that he feels uncomfortable with the balance of the Ferrari SF1000, and that's an issue that he has long been battling. Even though the car may be better suited to Leclerc's driving style, that shouldn't take anything away from his performances, as he has finished outside of the top ten on only three occasions thus far.
The Future of Ferrari
With Carlos Sainz set to come in as his teammate for both 2021 and 2022, Leclerc will be pushed to the limit as his hungry colleague will be eager to impress. That said, few expect the next world champion to come out of Ferrari to be anyone but Leclerc. After losing out at both Bahrain and Austria in 2019, the 23-year-old showed his grit and determination to bounce back in emphatic fashion, particularly in becoming the first Maranello driver to win the Italian GP since Fernando Alonso in 2010.
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For the remainder of the calendar, the Monegasque competitor is unlikely to taste victory, with Hamilton 2/5 to win the Turkish Grand Prix with F1 betting, as of November 3rd. That said, looking forward, Binotto has recently confirmed that Ferrari will have a new engine for 2021, which could be the catalyst in putting Leclerc back into contention for podiums and race wins.
Leading a Historic Team at a Young Age
Make no mistake about it, Leclerc is the number one driver at Ferrari, and that status has rightfully been earned. Few will be more frustrated than the 23-year-old at the Italian team's recent inabilities, but there should be collective optimism for the future, especially with Leclerc at the wheel.