Exploring if Leclerc’s bold approach in F1 showcases strength or excessive risk.
Who is the fastest Formula 1 driver on today’s grid? This question is somewhat unanswerable, as comparisons between teams are inherently challenging.
“It’s a good question,” Charles Leclerc himself acknowledged.
Does the Monegasque not believe, like the other 19 drivers undoubtedly do, that he is the best on the field?
“As a driver, you always have the belief that you are the fastest – and that’s the case when I do a qualifying lap,” he stated.
Charles Leclerc is indeed known as ‘Mr. Saturday’ on the grid… but why does he particularly enjoy the challenge of the fast lap?
“It’s about the mindset, stringing together laps during qualifying when it’s necessary and the pressure is immense. It’s an exercise I’ve always enjoyed.”
“I’ve always said that I drive a lot on intuition… I work hard, of course. But that’s where one of my strengths lies, I sense things very, very quickly.”
However, Charles Leclerc is also known for taking more risks than other drivers, which sometimes leads to track exits during qualifications, as recently seen in Austria.
“I don’t think I take more risks on most circuits. On street circuits, I might tend to think that I take a bit more risk than others, but I don’t know.”
“We don’t tend to do the fastest lap by pushing to the utmost limit. Sometimes, it’s faster to be a bit below the limit than right at it, because at the limit, you can have massive clashes and lose a lot of time.”
“It’s about finding a balance between the corners you can attack fully and extract the maximum from the car, and some corners where you have to settle for 95% and can go faster. And that’s where intuition comes into play.”
Is Charles Leclerc Too Hard on Himself?
While Charles Leclerc generally maintains a modest outlook on his performances, this stems from his legendary self-criticism—a trait that Lando Norris might yet surpass! So much so that the Ferrari driver often seems too harsh on himself, though he accepts it.
“It is very important to be self-critical in F1 because you find yourself in a situation, in a position where people tend to agree with you more often than not.”
“That’s why I have always been very honest with myself, and even harsher with myself than with anyone else. It’s just to balance the situation I find myself in.”
“It has worked for me. When I was younger, it wasn’t beneficial because I was too hard on myself and I would put myself down. Over time, I’ve learned that it’s very important to be honest, while maintaining self-confidence, and it’s the balance between the two that suits me best.”
“But now, there’s also Fred (Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal). We have a very good relationship and he has known me long before F1, so he’s not afraid to tell me when I do something wrong or when he thinks I say or do something wrong. He is a very important person to have by my side.”
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Leclerc’s Formula 1 Traits: Strength or Too Risky? Leclerc’s Formula 1 Traits: Strength or Too Risky?
