Frenchasa firstlanguageisfa rmore
abundant amongcurrent continental-born F1
drivers than it was a fewyears ago. Pierre Gasly,
RomainGrosjean, Charles Leclerc andEsteban
Ocon sit at different levels on theF1 py ramid and
make up a fif th of thegrid, and all are intriguing
competitorswith varied ambitionsfor 2020.
Leclercis a proud Monégasque yet his career
began on a karttrack in the south of France, and
the support hegenerates fromFrench fans at Paul
Ricard implies he istheir adoptedson. He carries
the greatest potentialof the group with hisexploits
at Ferrarilast year setting him up to be a potential
title challenger this season.
Twelve months ago, Leclerc was focused on
matching andbeating Sebastian Vettel,establishing
a position withinthe team, creating an aurathat
encouragedthe crew to support him. He tickedall
the boxes, and proved hecan win races when the
car was right. Thetarget s have been adjusted.
Testing is already history; Leclerccan only
challenge for thetitle by maximisingevery race and
making surehe’s in the game from start to finish.
When Ispoke to him atAutosport International
in January,he in timated that heneeds to managethe energy drainof the season differently, largelyto
ensu re a periodof genuine rest andrecuperation.
His objectives even thenwere more than a
Februarylap record in Barcelona.Watching Leclerc
deal withthe expectation growing in his ownhead,
and in those cheering him on,will be fascinating.
He’s stepped upto each newlevel impressively;
he won GP3 in 2016,graduated and won F2 the
following year, hada superb debutF1 seasonfor
Sauber in2018, then outqualified Vettel more often
thanno t – and outscored him – last year. A blade
of steel shines withinLeclerc,as he showed in 2019
in Bahrain when he ignored team orders to stay
behindVettel, and in Italywher e he played hisown
game in qua lifying. If Leclerccombines that steel
with experience and maturity, he could wellbe a
major title contender –ifthe car is good enough.
Meanwhile, his friend andformerkartingteam-
mate P ierre Gasly also enters the newseason withINSIDER
THE FRENCH
CONNECTION
a somewhat differentapproach. From being in one ofthose top teams
potentially able to win races –as he was with Red Bull atthe start of
2019 – he is now fighting inthe feverish midfield with the renamed
AlphaTauri outfit, to which hewas demoted in Augustlast year.
Pierre is anengagingcharacter, but one whowent through the mill
as Max Verstappen’s team-mate, in a car not suited to his owndriving
style. He recoveredwell at To ro Rosso, andachieveda fully deserved
podium finishinBr azil. Gasly’starget is to re-establish himself asa
frontline driver who dese rves another shot at a winning out fit.
Team bosses will need tosee more evidenceofa steel similar to that
which glints withinLeclerc. Anability to step upperf ormanceas th e
pressuremounts rather than being waylaid under duressseparates
the gre ats from the regulars. Gasl y did respond inthe secondhalf
of last year b ut he needsa truly impressiveseason alongsideDaniil
Kvyat ifhe’s to have any chanceof being ina top team for 2021.
Steel isdefinitely present in Esteban Ocon. He has afriendly
personalityout of the car, but we have seen evidenceof ruthlessness
within it. Whetherit’s goingwheel to wheel with former team-mate
Sergio Pérez, or fighting backto un lap himselffrom Verstappen and
robbing Max of apotential win inBrazil in
2018, Oconhas anedge to him.
Sitting onthe sidelinesfor a year may have
sharpened that desire further. NowOcon
is back onthe gri d with Renault, a team
desparate to make progress, andthe French
connection is a sturdy link. Daniel Ricciardo
will be tested rigorously by his new team-mate
but the Au stralian will be up for it. It’s adrive r
pairing that could drivethe teamforwar d via a
powerful internal rivalry,but t here are always
downsidesto such a level of intensity withina
tight-knit squad.
Intensityis somethingfamiliar to those
working with Guenther Steiner atHaas, an d
Romain Grosjean is now going into his fifth
season of racing for the American team. The
French wordfor conundrum escapes me,but
the term springs to mindwhen considering
Grosjean’s competitiveness.On his good days,
he’s fast and flowing with excellent qualifying
pace andgood raceconsistency, but all too
often he struggleswith car balance,trips ove r
fellow racers, and moans over the radio.
His experience is valuable, his 2013 season
at Lotushad truly inspirational moments, but
he carries baggage. Thesteel within may have
turneda tad rusty. Grosjean’s time in F1 could
be drawing to a close unless he can spring
some monumentalsurprises th is year.
French-speaking European drivershave key
parts to play in this year’s campaign. Will they
hit the peak,Magnifique!or crash through the
floor,Zut Alor s?Only timewill tell.TheFrenchinfluenceonF1
hasincreasedconsiderablyin
thepastfewyearsBENED WARDS
THE F1
ANALYST
22 GP RACING APRIL 2020
@benedwardstv
PICTURESFrenchasa firstlanguageisfa rmore
abundant amongcurrent continental-born F1
drivers than it was a fewyears ago. Pierre Gasly,
RomainGrosjean, Charles Leclerc andEsteban
Ocon sit at different levels on theF1 py ramid and
make up a fif th of thegrid, and all are intriguing
competitorswith varied ambitionsfor 2020.
Leclercis a proud Monégasque yet his career
began on a karttrack in the south of France, and
the support hegenerates fromFrench fans at Paul
Ricard implies he istheir adoptedson. He carries
the greatest potentialof the group with hisexploits
at Ferrarilast year setting him up to be a potential
title challenger this season.
Twelve months ago, Leclerc was focused on
matching andbeating Sebastian Vettel,establishing
a position withinthe team, creating an aurathat
encouragedthe crew to support him. He tickedall
the boxes, and proved hecan win races when the
car was right. Thetarget s have been adjusted.
Testing is already history; Leclerccan only
challenge for thetitle by maximisingevery race and
making surehe’s in the game from start to finish.
When Ispoke to him atAutosport International
in January,he in timated that heneeds to manage
the energy drainof the season differently, largelyto
ensu re a periodof genuine rest andrecuperation.
His objectives even thenwere more than a
Februarylap record in Barcelona.Watching Leclerc
deal withthe expectation growing in his ownhead,
and in those cheering him on,will be fascinating.
He’s stepped upto each newlevel impressively;
he won GP3 in 2016,graduated and won F2 the
following year, hada superb debutF1 seasonfor
Sauber in2018, then outqualified Vettel more often
thanno t – and outscored him – last year. A blade
of steel shines withinLeclerc,as he showed in 2019
in Bahrain when he ignored team orders to stay
behindVettel, and in Italywher e he played hisown
game in qua lifying. If Leclerccombines that steel
with experience and maturity, he could wellbe a
major title contender –ifthe car is good enough.
Meanwhile, his friend andformerkartingteam-
mate P ierre Gasly also enters the newseason withINSIDER
THE FRENCH
CONNECTION
a somewhat differentapproach. From being in one ofthose top teams
potentially able to win races –as he was with Red Bull atthe start of
2019 – he is now fighting inthe feverish midfield with the renamed
AlphaTauri outfit, to which hewas demoted in Augustlast year.
Pierre is anengagingcharacter, but one whowent through the mill
as Max Verstappen’s team-mate, in a car not suited to his owndriving
style. He recoveredwell at To ro Rosso, andachieveda fully deserved
podium finishinBr azil. Gasly’starget is to re-establish himself asa
frontline driver who dese rves another shot at a winning out fit.
Team bosses will need tosee more evidenceofa steel similar to that
which glints withinLeclerc. Anability to step upperf ormanceas th e
pressuremounts rather than being waylaid under duressseparates
the gre ats from the regulars. Gasl y did respond inthe secondhalf
of last year b ut he needsa truly impressiveseason alongsideDaniil
Kvyat ifhe’s to have any chanceof being ina top team for 2021.
Steel isdefinitely present in Esteban Ocon. He has afriendly
personalityout of the car, but we have seen evidenceof ruthlessness
within it. Whetherit’s goingwheel to wheel with former team-mate
Sergio Pérez, or fighting backto un lap himselffrom Verstappen and
robbing Max of apotential win inBrazil in
2018, Oconhas anedge to him.
Sitting onthe sidelinesfor a year may have
sharpened that desire further. NowOcon
is back onthe gri d with Renault, a team
desparate to make progress, andthe French
connection is a sturdy link. Daniel Ricciardo
will be tested rigorously by his new team-mate
but the Au stralian will be up for it. It’s adrive r
pairing that could drivethe teamforwar d via a
powerful internal rivalry,but t here are always
downsidesto such a level of intensity withina
tight-knit squad.
Intensityis somethingfamiliar to those
working with Guenther Steiner atHaas, an d
Romain Grosjean is now going into his fifth
season of racing for the American team. The
French wordfor conundrum escapes me,but
the term springs to mindwhen considering
Grosjean’s competitiveness.On his good days,
he’s fast and flowing with excellent qualifying
pace andgood raceconsistency, but all too
often he struggleswith car balance,trips ove r
fellow racers, and moans over the radio.
His experience is valuable, his 2013 season
at Lotushad truly inspirational moments, but
he carries baggage. Thesteel within may have
turneda tad rusty. Grosjean’s time in F1 could
be drawing to a close unless he can spring
some monumentalsurprises th is year.
French-speaking European drivershave key
parts to play in this year’s campaign. Will they
hit the peak,Magnifique!or crash through the
floor,Zut Alor s?Only timewill tell.TheFrenchinfluenceonF1
hasincreasedconsiderablyin
thepastfewyearsBENED WARDS
THE F1
ANALYST
22 GP RACING APRIL 2020
@benedwardstv
PICTURES