F1 Racing - UK (2019-12)

52 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019

the new golden boyof not just Ferrari, but F1 asa

whole, Vettel’s season unraveled further intoone

of mistakesand missedopportunities. And Vettel

was not entirelyhappy withLeclerc. Especially

as Leclerc’s pole at Monza came at theexpense

of honouringan agreementto give Seba tow on

the fina l run. Tensions grew inSingapore, where

Leclerc ledfrom pole early onbut lost thelead,

and thewin, to Vettel because of thestrategies the

team enforced upon itsdrivers. Things spiked in

Russia,where Vettel refusedto move aside after

a choreographed startin which poleman Leclerc

gave third-placedstarter Vettel a tow andthe lead

to help get him ahead of Hamilton.

Leclerc had already had his wrists slapped

for the Monza qualifying incident and losing

his cool over the radio in Singapore, but Russia

threatened a bigger divide. Binotto met with

Leclerc and Vettel independently at Maranello,

to establishwhat happened and how it could be

avoided in future. All parties claimed afterwards

the “misunderstanding” had been put to bed.

Through this process, Leclerc continued to

learn. He appeared genuinely contrite after

his public criticism of Ferrari over the radio in

Singapore. In Russia, he was not shy in letting

the team know he wasunha ppy, but didn’t force

it beyond insisting the matter be discussed more

earnestly later. It smacked of a driver learning

how to toe the lineandplay the game.

Ferrari must spot the way the wind is blowing.

If it wants to tie Leclerc down longer-term, that

will give Leclerc leverage andstreng then his

position against Vettel even further. Leclerc

is showing no signs of letting that turn him

into a Fernando Alonso-style

power player, but he knows

he is worthy of (at least)

equal treatment.

“I’m definitely not theone

who takesthe decision for

next year,” says Leclerc. “But

I have worked prettywell this

season, I improved quite a lot,

I understoodcompletely the

situation[at th e beginningof

the year] and Ithink I have

been quick in some races.

I have shownwhat Iwas

capable of,and now Iwill

leave it to Mattia andto the

management to decide.”

At the time of writing, asemi-resurgence from

Vettel may yet prevent Leclerc ending theyear as

Fe rrari’s leadingman in terms of points. Ferrari’s

progress has taken Leclerc to new heights, but

it has also started to unlocksome of the old

Vettel bysolving someof the car “trust”issues

that have previouslyheld him back. Andif the

developments ofthe 2019 Ferrariform the basis

of 2020’scar, an d that suits himbetter out ofthe

blocks, Vettel coulddelay the inevitable.But it

would takea b rave person to bet onLeclerc failing

to establish himself as thede factonumber one.

That is why Leclerc’s seasonhas provided

emphatic answers to those opening questions.

How does an understudy oust the star? Byshining

brighter. When does the Beta know it istime to

replacethe Alpha? When he stands taller. What

does a support actneed to do to become themain

attraction?Beco me the premiumoption.

How did Charles Leclerc displace Sebastian

Vettel at Ferrari? By doing all of the above.

Leclerchasveryquicklybecome

partoftheFerrarifamilyandthe

teamwillbeanxioustotiehim

downtoalong-termdeal

“Ferrarimustspotthewaythewind

isblowing.Ifitwants totieLeclerc

downlonger-term,thatwillgive

Leclercleverageandstrengthenhis

positionagainst Vettelevenfurther”

PICTURES

:GLENNDUNBAR

;SIMONGALL

OW

AY;

STEVENTEE

52 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019

the new golden boyof not just Ferrari, but F1 asa
whole, Vettel’s season unraveled further intoone
of mistakesand missedopportunities. And Vettel
was not entirelyhappy withLeclerc. Especially
as Leclerc’s pole at Monza came at theexpense
of honouringan agreementto give Seba tow on
the fina l run. Tensions grew inSingapore, where
Leclerc ledfrom pole early onbut lost thelead,
and thewin, to Vettel because of thestrategies the
team enforced upon itsdrivers. Things spiked in
Russia,where Vettel refusedto move aside after
a choreographed startin which poleman Leclerc
gave third-placedstarter Vettel a tow andthe lead
to help get him ahead of Hamilton.
Leclerc had already had his wrists slapped
for the Monza qualifying incident and losing
his cool over the radio in Singapore, but Russia
threatened a bigger divide. Binotto met with
Leclerc and Vettel independently at Maranello,
to establishwhat happened and how it could be
avoided in future. All parties claimed afterwards
the “misunderstanding” had been put to bed.
Through this process, Leclerc continued to
learn. He appeared genuinely contrite after
his public criticism of Ferrari over the radio in
Singapore. In Russia, he was not shy in letting
the team know he wasunha ppy, but didn’t force
it beyond insisting the matter be discussed more
earnestly later. It smacked of a driver learning
how to toe the lineandplay the game.
Ferrari must spot the way the wind is blowing.

If it wants to tie Leclerc down longer-term, that

will give Leclerc leverage andstreng then his

position against Vettel even further. Leclerc

is showing no signs of letting that turn him

into a Fernando Alonso-style

power player, but he knows

he is worthy of (at least)

equal treatment.

“I’m definitely not theone

who takesthe decision for

next year,” says Leclerc. “But

I have worked prettywell this

season, I improved quite a lot,

I understoodcompletely the

situation[at th e beginningof

the year] and Ithink I have

been quick in some races.

I have shownwhat Iwas

capable of,and now Iwill

leave it to Mattia andto the

management to decide.”

At the time of writing, asemi-resurgence from

Vettel may yet prevent Leclerc ending theyear as

Fe rrari’s leadingman in terms of points. Ferrari’s

progress has taken Leclerc to new heights, but

it has also started to unlocksome of the old

Vettel bysolving someof the car “trust”issues

that have previouslyheld him back. Andif the

developments ofthe 2019 Ferrariform the basis

of 2020’scar, an d that suits himbetter out ofthe

blocks, Vettel coulddelay the inevitable.But it

would takea b rave person to bet onLeclerc failing

to establish himself as thede factonumber one.

That is why Leclerc’s seasonhas provided

emphatic answers to those opening questions.

How does an understudy oust the star? Byshining

brighter. When does the Beta know it istime to

replacethe Alpha? When he stands taller. What

does a support actneed to do to become themain

attraction?Beco me the premiumoption.

How did Charles Leclerc displace Sebastian

Vettel at Ferrari? By doing all of the above.

Leclerchasveryquicklybecome

partoftheFerrarifamilyandthe

teamwillbeanxioustotiehim

downtoalong-termdeal

“Ferrarimustspotthewaythewind

isblowing.Ifitwants totieLeclerc

downlonger-term,thatwillgive

Leclercleverageandstrengthenhis

positionagainst Vettelevenfurther”

PICTURES

:GLENNDUNBAR

;SIMONGALL

OW

AY;

STEVENTEE