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Charles Leclerc scored the maximum possible 26 points in the first race of the season in Bahrain. The Monegasque driver had a race-long battle with Verstappen and maintained the upper hand until the latter suffered from reliability issues towards the end and had to retire.
After the race, both Leclerc and Verstappen were seen sharing a light-hearted moment in front of the press where they talked about the race. The Dutchman has been complimentary of Leclerc recently, terming him one of the most talented on the grid. The Ferrari driver was also very happy with how the wheel-to-wheel battle with Verstappen panned out during the race.
Speaking to the media, Charles Leclerc reflected on why this battle between the two drivers was different than the one they had in Austria in 2019. According to the Monegasque, he lacked the clarity of what he could and could not do in a battle at the time and that clarity has made things better for him now. He said:
“For example in Austria, when the Dutchman took the win, and the race afterwards at Silverstone. After that race in Austria I was quite angry, because in my view it was not entirely clear what was and was not possible. Now it is. That’s what we want as drivers.”
He then went on to say:
“I want to race hard and fair. The way it went in Bahrain was beautiful. I look forward to fighting that fight all year. I don’t know if that will happen, because the development of the car is very important. But if it stays as close as in Bahrain, it will be great to have these kind of duels all year round.”
Red Bull can be strong in Saudi Arabia: Charles Leclerc
Looking ahead to the Saudi Arabian GP, Charles Leclerc feels Red Bull could still be a force to reckon with on the track. Max Verstappen appeared to have a significant advantage in the straights over Leclerc in Bahrain and if Red Bull can replicate that in Saudi Arabia, it could give the team an advantage.
Speaking about the race this weekend, Leclerc said:
“It was so close last weekend, between us and Red Bull. It can now turn around again. This is another completely different circuit. Red Bull was fast on the straight in Bahrain, so they can be strong again here.”
It's going to be an intriguing battle throughout the season and it will be interesting to see who holds the edge going forward.
