Is Charles LeClerc Living up to the Hype?

When Scuderia Ferrari roped in Charles LeClerc alongside Sebastian Vettel, many touted him as the next big thing in Formula One. However, four races in and LeClerc does not seem to be delivering at all compared to his teammate. When judging a driver’s performance, the first person they are compared to are their team mates.

Vettel has also gone through a rough patch, especially with his 2018 season denting his morale. The 4-time world champions is a kind of driver who is in tune with his car and expects a specific set-up to perform to the best of his ability.

However, Grandpx.news observed that Charles LeClerc’s style is more akin to Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso. The former McLaren drivers can extract plenty of pace, even in a bad car.

One example was in Bahrain and Baku where Charles LeClerc drove better with a less stable Ferrari. However, in China, there was nothing to choose between the two, and sometimes, Vettel had him wrapped around his little finger. Inspite of a drop in pace from Vettel, Charles LeClerc was unable to keep up, if Bahrain was any proof.

Without a doubt, Charles LeClerc is quick off the blocks, but it is the lack of experience that is hurting him. According to his Ferrari contract, he is expected to play the role of a no.2 driver. Unfortunately, this has affected his psyche in terms of the race and approach to dealing with Vettel.

During the Azerbaijan GP qualifying, Charles LeClerc made a mistake and crashed at the tight castle section. It was perhaps a reflection of his inexperience and the fact that he was under pressure to be faster than Vettel.

Many are of the opinion that Ferrari should not play favourites early in the season. Charles LeClerc has the pace, but is in dire need of valuable experience and mental strength to win in Formula 1.

Luckily, he has one thing going for him, his youth and hunger to learn as he gets older and wiser. Who knows, Charles LeClerc may soon be a candidate for number 1 status and a possible title contender. There will also come a time where he will have to stop berating himself for any mistake and just move on, or dwell on that mistake and be vulnerable to making more.