Leclerc: “Playing collectively always bears fruit”

If you were looking for a shocking declaration of Charles Leclerc claiming the status of captain at Ferrari given his two convincing victories at Spa and Monza, you can always wait. 

The Monegasque is not the type to make waves outside the cockpit of his SF90. On the other hand, he knows very well how to occupy the entire width of the track when it comes to defending his position on the track. Lewis Hamilton learned it the hard way in Italy and complained about it in whispers in the wake of a fight at the top with the new idol of the fans.

« The battle was fierce: I was fully aware of what I was doing at the wheel, rewound Leclerc from Singapore. Afterwards, for the action at the second chicance that Lewis refers to, I was not sure of his exact position on my right. But it was my intention to defend robustly. 

I changed my approach after the fight with Max Verstappen in Austria. The decision of the commissioners there and the absence of penalty surprised me but I have since adapted. If Lewis wants to change his approach too, that's up to him. I don't think he's really worried. He is very strong mentally ». 

He is not the only one, as Leclerc displays an impressive quiet strength, unfazed by the media whirlwind that now accompanies him everywhere. Enough to convince Ferrari to support the 21-year-old at the expense of his teammate Sebastian Vettel, at an impasse for more than a year?

« I never had this feeling, replied Leclec. I don't know how the situation is perceived from the outside but from the inside, the team does everything to make it fair and measured.  

This season I found myself helping Seb. The same goes for him in other cases. This is the best way for the team to proceed if they want to progress. We will do our best each on our own obviously. I am very happy with the team's handling of the situation. 

Playing as a team always pays off. It's not ideal to have a driver who plays it personal and is selfish. We may find ourselves in situations where the team must analyze in more detail. You have to find the right balancee ».

Leclerc also assures that “ nothing has changed between Seb and me » since the diplomatic qualifying incident at Monza. After offering a lift to his young garage neighbor during the first flying lap in Q3, the four-time world champion felt that Leclerc had not returned the favor. The Monegasque defended himself by saying that the funny traffic jam at the end of the session had prevented him from opening the way in front of Vettel.

« There were doubts about my behavior on the track but I explained myself and everything is fine », concluded Leclerc. 

There are absolutely no questions about his irresistible rise.