From karting to F1, Leclerc and Verstappen have learned to no longer hate each other

The rivalry between Charles Leclerc et Max Verstappen it's nothing new. Remember in 2012 when the two men were having a hard time in the WSK Euro Series in karting. Then opposed during a round in Italy, the Monegasque and the Dutchman jostled and made contact which provoked the anger of the second.

« It is unfair ! He wants to overtake me. He pushes me, I push him away. He continues to push me, and I go off the track. It is not fair,” chanted Max Verstappen at the time while Charles Leclerc advocated the simple racing incident. “ Nothing happened, it's just an incident."

Since then, they have had different paths in the promotion formulas but ended up reaching the Formula 1, one of their biggest dreams. In the premier category, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen would meet once again on the track. Promoted to Ferrari in 2019 after a first season with Alfa Romeo, the Monegasque would have to deal with the Batavian during the Austrian Grand Prix.

Boys full of maturity

Chasing his rival for victory, the Dutchman made a rough overtake in the final laps which would cause a lot of noise. Two weeks later, they found themselves at Silverstone for another high-flying showdown, this time won by the native of Monaco. Now, here they are in the first two positions in the championship and in the fight for the world crown. Something to remind you of the good old days.

« We grew up together through karting, I would say since we were 12, recalls Max Verstappen when asked about their past. We already had a lot of battles in karting but we managed to reach Formula 1. Now we are fighting with the best teams. It's nice to see and I hope it lasts for a long time."

Launched on the subject, Charles Leclerc believes that the situation is somewhat different ten years later. If he knows that the rivalry is very real given the stakes, the Monegasque recognizes that their state of mind has changed.

« We have matured a lot, recognizes the Ferrari driver. We are much older even though we are only 25, which is still quite young. At that time (karting), there were episodes that made us hate each other but then we grew up. Obviously, we both realized one of our dreams which was to get to Formula 1. And at that time, it was just a dream. Everything seemed impossible. So it's, it's great to be able to fight in Formula 1 now. There is a lot of respect on both sides. » Comments supported by Max Verstappen. “ As Charles said, we have matured a lot. We can laugh about what happened in karting. » It remains to be seen whether the good atmosphere will still be good at the next clash.

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