"There are only few drivers which are capable of doing that" - Charles Leclerc's 'talent' is on par with Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve, says Mattia Binotto

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto believes Charles Leclerc is one of the few drivers in F1 who is on par with legendary F1 driver Gilles Villeneuve.

The Italian claimed that only a select few are capable of driving the way Villeneuve did during his heyday with the Scuderia, and that Leclerc is one of them. Speaking ahead of the Monaco GP, Binotto said:

“Gilles was fantastic, in that he won only six races, but remains for all the Tifosi the driver, no, and because it really was his way of driving, his way of behaving. It’s the passion he put.”

He further said:

“There are only few drivers which are capable of doing that and I think Charlie is one of these, as Gilles.”

Among the dozens of drivers who have driven for Ferrari over its long history in F1, there is probably none as popular as Gilles Villeneuve, apart from seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher.

The Canadian never managed to win a world championship and lost his life in a fatal incident after just six years in the sport. However, during that short stint, he became one of the most beloved figures in the sport, even managing to win over the notoriously ruthless Enzo Ferrari.

Binotto feels that Charles Leclerc, who currently bears the responsibility of ending the Maranello-based team's 15-year-long championship drought, is similar to Villeneuve in both personality and driving style. He added:

“I look at Charles, the way he’s driving, his talent, and more than that it’s the passion, the passion of the fans for him. I think he has got that and that’s something which is great, we are passionate as well ourselves, and we hope that you will win simply more than six races.”

The Monegasque currently stands second in the Driver Standings, nine points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

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Charles Leclerc need to “watch his language” while criticising Ferrari, says former F1 world champion

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill has advised Charles Leclerc to be a bit more diplomatic while communicating with Ferrari, especially on the radio that is being broadcast on television, given the team’s previous reputation while dealing with drivers. Speaking to MSN Sports, Hill said:

“Ferrari are not the people who will give way here.”

He added:

“If you’ve got a driver versus Ferrari, Ferrari will always win. So, technically or diplomatically, you have to watch it a bit.”

Ferrari is notorious for its ruthlessness in dealing with drivers and has seldom tolerated anyone who has criticised the team from within. Famously, the team sacked four-time world champion Alain Prost after the Frenchman criticized his car in the press.