‘Max is a bit more aggressive’: Charles Leclerc compares Hamilton and Verstappen

The title rivals have different approaches to races, according to Leclerc

Sarah Rendell
Friday 24 September 2021 04:51 EDT
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Charle Leclerc has spoken on the title rivals
Charle Leclerc has spoken on the title rivals (Getty Images)

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Charles Leclerc says Max Verstappen is more aggressive than Lewis Hamilton, while the Brit uses clever positions on the track as the Formula 1 driver compared the rivals.

The focus is firmly on the pair ahead of Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix as Verstappen only holds a five point lead over Hamilton in the standings with eight races to go.

Leclerc knows both drivers well and told Race: “They have two different styles. Max is a bit more on the aggressive side, Lewis a bit more on the clean side. It’s nice to be fighting with both of them.

“Lewis is always very, very clever in the way he positions his car to put you in a difficult situation. And he most of the time manages to make the pass in a clean way. Max is a little bit more aggressive. But I enjoy racing with both, and if anything I quite like fighting with Max because it’s always really on the limit.”

Their rivalry has had another layer to it this season due to the two crashes they have been involved in at Silverstone and Monza. And while the tension is building between them, fellow driver Sebastian Vettel doesn’t believe another collision will happen.

“I don’t think any of us has the intention to crash going into a gap or going for a move,” he told Sky. “Obviously, as it turns out when things go wrong, there is someone to blame or sometimes there is not - it is normal.

“It is then for the stewards and the people to decide if there was somebody to blame which I don’t think is always an easy call because every situation is different. As long as you are not involved, it is not that important.”

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