F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 49
position advantage with a poor start.
Leclerc failed to win the race because of an
unprecedented short circuit in his Ferrari’s
control electronics. But the message had clearly
been sent: Leclerc’s not here to play number two.
Ferrari proved wildly inconsistent in the early
months of the season as it grappled with a low-
drag, low-downforce car that left it incapable of
regularly challenging Mercedes. But when the
car was at its most competitive, Leclerc was the
man mainly doing the damage.
He should have fought for pole and victory in
Azerbaijan but blundered in qualifying. He had
the edge in Monacotoo but was stitched up by
Ferrari failing to send him out for a second run
in Q1. An inferior strategy arguably cost him
the win late on in Austria, aligned with some
aggressive Max Verstappen driving. And another
reliability problem stymied Leclerc’s pole bidin Germany, before the treacherous conditions
caught him (among many) out in the race.
Leclerc made some crucial errors, but hewas
also at the forefront of Ferrari’s attack, piling the
pressure on Vettel in theprocess – sometimes
quietly, sometimes in full view.
“The way that Charles is growing is very
positive,” Binotto said mid-season. “He’s a
talent, we knew it, but I think he’s really learning
from mistakes, and that’s more important.
Even his collaboration with the team, his way
of supporting the team in the development of
the car, is improving race by race, day by day.
If there’s anything that’s surprising us it is how
much he’s improving through the races.”
Leclerc is a fiercely self-criticalyoung man.
Perhaps that is why heproved soade pt at dealing
with what Binotto calls “a lot of pressure on
shoulders”.He wa s placingthe heaviestload onhimself. That,andthe fac t he had already forgeda
formidablemental strength fromhis kartingdays.
By the summer break, Ferrari was well out of
the championship hunt. But Leclerc had made
it clear he was a serious threat to beat Vettel for
intra-team honours, and maybeeven third in the
standings. Going into the holiday, Leclerc had
kickstarted a run of beating Vettel in qualifying
that wouldextend to aphen omenal nine
consecutive sessions. Only Vettel’s pole in
Japan stopped the rot.
Leclerc putthis staggering form downto a
change in approach. He clocked that his ‘every lap
might be my last’ attitude – a legacy of spending
his rookie season scrappingfor Q2 and Q3 places
in a Sauber – wasn’t the right fitfor Fe rrari.
Instead, Leclercshifted his outlook: Q1 and Q2
were about bedding in and finding a rhythm.
The top-10 shootout, when polewas up for grabs,PICTURE:GLENNDUNBARF1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 49
position advantage with a poor start.
Leclerc failed to win the race because of an
unprecedented short circuit in his Ferrari’s
control electronics. But the message had clearly
been sent: Leclerc’s not here to play number two.
Ferrari proved wildly inconsistent in the early
months of the season as it grappled with a low-
drag, low-downforce car that left it incapable of
regularly challenging Mercedes. But when the
car was at its most competitive, Leclerc was the
man mainly doing the damage.
He should have fought for pole and victory in
Azerbaijan but blundered in qualifying. He had
the edge in Monacotoo but was stitched up by
Ferrari failing to send him out for a second run
in Q1. An inferior strategy arguably cost him
the win late on in Austria, aligned with some
aggressive Max Verstappen driving. And another
reliability problem stymied Leclerc’s pole bid
in Germany, before the treacherous conditions
caught him (among many) out in the race.
Leclerc made some crucial errors, but hewas
also at the forefront of Ferrari’s attack, piling the
pressure on Vettel in theprocess – sometimes
quietly, sometimes in full view.
“The way that Charles is growing is very
positive,” Binotto said mid-season. “He’s a
talent, we knew it, but I think he’s really learning
from mistakes, and that’s more important.
Even his collaboration with the team, his way
of supporting the team in the development of
the car, is improving race by race, day by day.
If there’s anything that’s surprising us it is how
much he’s improving through the races.”
Leclerc is a fiercely self-criticalyoung man.
Perhaps that is why heproved soade pt at dealing
with what Binotto calls “a lot of pressure on
shoulders”.He wa s placingthe heaviestload onhimself. That,andthe fac t he had already forgeda
formidablemental strength fromhis kartingdays.
By the summer break, Ferrari was well out of
the championship hunt. But Leclerc had made
it clear he was a serious threat to beat Vettel for
intra-team honours, and maybeeven third in the
standings. Going into the holiday, Leclerc had
kickstarted a run of beating Vettel in qualifying
that wouldextend to aphen omenal nine
consecutive sessions. Only Vettel’s pole in
Japan stopped the rot.
Leclerc putthis staggering form downto a
change in approach. He clocked that his ‘every lap
might be my last’ attitude – a legacy of spending
his rookie season scrappingfor Q2 and Q3 places
in a Sauber – wasn’t the right fitfor Fe rrari.
Instead, Leclercshifted his outlook: Q1 and Q2
were about bedding in and finding a rhythm.
The top-10 shootout, when polewas up for grabs,PICTURE:GLENNDUNBAR