Verstappen - LeClerc: The next generation
#1

Well, if the Bahrain weekend showed anything it is the undisputed fact that Charles LeClerc has "arrived" and it is clear he is going to be the next prodigious talent in F1. The important thing for me is he showed he can do it on track in wheel to wheel combat. If he'd have led from flag to flag and won from the front I would have been less impressed. As it is, he passed a Mercedes and his own team mate via two clean decisive moves to *almost* secure a maiden victory. His display on Saturday was also "top drawer" and reminded me in a lot of ways of a younger Lewis Hamilton. Dominant – three tenths clear of his team mate.

The reason for this post? One thing that surprises me is the other young charger Max Verstappen has been in a top car for a number of seasons now, he has won races but never secured a pole position. Why is that? After all, Daniel got poles while they were racing together.

Discuss.
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#2

I'm going to put it down to Age. Max came in at 17 and a bit was it? Charles at 20, there alot of maturity in those three years. Charles also went through F2 so was accustomed to the paddock and half the tracks. It's been said alot, and was one of the things that made me like, and realise how good Charles can be about European leg/mid point last season, his level head. He seems to have a great understanding of protocol, from car setup, racing, to interviews.

As for Max not having poles, well only two occasions come to mind where RedBull were in solid genuine contention for pole position. Last year Monaco and Mexico, the rest they were close, but other teams car traits, ie engines, and high downforce packages were better.
So for one he was too on it, and wrecked in FP3. Mexico, Danny Ric simply had the better lap.

Norris's drive yesterday was stellar, so I think as long as he can keep level headed, then he can be happily added to the list.

My previous sig was obsolete, McLaren ain't disappointing Heshy no more.
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#3

(01-04-2019, 07:14 PM)Monster Hesh Wrote:  As for Max not having poles, well only two occasions come to mind where RedBull were in solid genuine contention for pole position. Last year Monaco and Mexico, the rest they were close, but other teams car traits, ie engines, and high downforce packages were better.
So for one he was too on it, and wrecked in FP3. Mexico, Danny Ric simply had the better lap.

Norris's drive yesterday was stellar, so I think as long as he can keep level headed, then he can be happily added to the list.

Hmm.., dunno if it's age. They are roughly the same age and Max has much, much more experience at the top level. I agree that there haven't been plentiful opportunities for him to challenge for pole position, but in the years he has been at Red Bull there have been a few. The RBR's suit Hugary and Singapore and he would probably have gotten pole in Singapore last year if it wasn't for that stellar Hamilton lap.

Perhaps I'm being too judgemental, but so far I don't think Max has shown that bit "extra" in qualy trim. Charlie showed it on Saturday as Vettel had no answer and was miles off. Max is a great racer, but I remain to be convinced he will be a one lap legend.
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#4

Hard to judge.
I agree with Hesh on the experience part.

Other difference is the car. Last year Leclerc was not bad, just like Verstappen was not bad in Torro Rosso. But when Verstappen won that first race in a Red Bull, everybody was going crazy about the kid. Now, Leclerc did the same in his second race for Ferrari (for me he won) and people again go crazy about him.
What will be different, is the fact that Leclerc has a car that makes it much easier to compete and win then Verstappen had back then (and still). That makes it easier to grow, but also to shine.

Next difference is the attitude. Leclerc seems calm and calculated, while Verstappen seems agressive but with that natural feeling for speed and racing. Not that this can tell who will be better (might differ per situation), but to me it seems a nice difference for when both fight each other for future world title.

Qualifying doesn't tell me much, especially comparing a Ferrari with a Red Bull. But, if you ask me who would take the most poles when driving in the same team, I would say Leclerc. On the other hand, I think Verstappen would take it on most Sundays in that same car. Both would be very close though, every time (would be amazing team together).

Nope, to hard to tell who's the better driver now or who will be the better driver within a couple years. Both great stars for the sport.
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#5

(01-04-2019, 10:40 PM)Antilochos Wrote:  Hard to judge.

(would be amazing team together).

Nope, to hard to tell who's the better driver now or who will be the better driver within a couple years. Both great stars for the sport.

Its late but this ^^^  Cool

"When a man holds you round the throat, I don't think he has come to apologise" 
Ayrton Senna on Nigel Mansell, SPA 1987.   Angel
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#6

I'm going to throw a little bit of caution into all of this about Charles, because while yes I think he's a future WDC and a thoroughly likeable chap, he still makes little errors. He left the track three times during the Australian GP, which could've been disastrous, and again in Bahrain he took some, shall we say "interesting lines" in Bahrain. Now I know they were all struggling with the wind in Bahrain, yet the truth is he seems to have these lapses in concentration. He had them with Sauber last year, as he did his maiden F2 championship. True, the likes of Hamilton and Alonso were the same as young drivers... but as a cautionary tale so too were Maldonado and Grosjean, both of whom when they hooked it up were / are very rapid. Only time will tell whether he iron's these chinks out like Alonso and Hamilton did, or whether they remain Achilles heels like Vettel. He has the components to be truly great, he just needs to put it all together.

It's a similar story for Max. I think my thoughts on Max are very well known, I truly believe the guy has the chance to go down as one of the all time greats, right up there with Schumacher, Prost, Senna and Hamilton, he too has all the components like Leclerc, but he's more aggressive. I don't think it's a surprise he's not had a pole position by now though, the RBR just hasn't been capable of challenging for poles consistently, the only tracks they're really had a shot at is Monaco, Singapore and Mexico. Of those over the last 2 seasons Max has had issues with his car in qualifying that have essentially meant he's been hamstrung 4 out of the 6 real chances he's had, true, one of those times is because he stuck his car in the wall in FP3 at Monaco, but still, he's only had a real shot two times, and one of those was Mexico last year, where apparently either he, or the engine software accidently put the PU into harvesting mode out of the last corner, which cost him as well. His real issue is controlling his aggression and learning when not to fight. If Max can do that and RBR or someone else can give him a car to challenge he'll become one of the greats.

Other notable mentions must go to Norris and Russell, no one noticed in Bahrain, but at one point in his crappy Williams, on older tyres, he put a move on Stroll and did him up like a kipper. It was a clinical piece of driving that was Prost'esque, Norris is more obviously doing well, but Russell is quietly going about his work at Williams very competently, the trouble is Kubica isn't a great driver to gauge against how well he is going. Still both are impressing me in different ways, Russell ironically might already be the most 'complete' of the lot of them. Norris needs to be less cautious, and show us that ruthless streak we know he has, but hey, it's two races into his career...

And lest we forget Ocon in the Mercedes simulator, I really rate him, I really, really do.
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