‘We enjoy our battles’: Max Verstappen discusses rivalry with Charles Leclerc
The Red Bull and Ferrari drivers had a good on-track battle in Bahrain
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Your support makes all the difference.Red Bull’s Max Verstappen says he is enjoying his on-track battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc this season.
In the first race of the season they exchanged the lead five times before Verstappen had to retire with car trouble. That saw Leclerc claim the win, giving Ferrari their first victory since 2019 and putting himself at the top of the driver standings for the first time.
Verstappen has spoken highly about his rival for the 2022 title, saying via the Express: “I never speak about these things with other drivers. I mean, it happens. I’ve lost wins, as well, and it’s not the end of the world, you move on.
“I think Charles is one of the most talented drivers in Formula One and he will win many more races. I think we are just good competitors and we like racing, I think you saw that when we were battling hard and it was all good.”
He added: “I would say back in the day it was a little bit more difficult, but also (we) were very young and growing up and you are fighting for the same goal, right?
“Now that you’re in Formula One, I think it is really different. You are representing really big brands. So we get on very well now. We can have a good chat and enjoy our battles, and I think that’s very nice. Knowing each other for such a long time helps. We’ve spent so much time together, in a way.”
The rivalry between the pair seems more healthy than the relationship Verstappen had with Lewis Hamilton last season. The drivers crashed twice and had many run-ins on track which made for a drama filled season.
But it seems they won’t go toe-to-toe in 2022 if Mercedes cannot fix the problems their car is having. Hamilton and George Russell finished third and fourth in Bahrain but that was only after the two Red Bull cars had to retire.
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