“There is a lot of mutual respect”: Charles Leclerc describes his dynamic with Championship rival Max Verstappen
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Charles Leclerc (on the left) and Max Verstappen (on the right)
The highlight of the current Formula 1 2022 season has been the roiling fight for the Championship between Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. The two contemporaries have known each other all their racing careers, and now they are pitted against each other while vying for the Championship. The Dutchman was engaged in an all-fangs-out fight with Lewis Hamilton in the previous season as the two racers were almost at par in the points, but this time, the rivalry is not as toxic because the racers are good friends and in Charles Leclerc’s words, there is “mutual respect” between the two.
While Max Verstappen has already got a Championship victory last year and is looking to defend his title in 2022, Charles Leclerc is out for his first-ever World Championship win, and Ferrari’s first victory in 15 years since Kimi Raikkonen got the title in 2007. While each of them have a lot on the line, Max and Charles have maintained a close relationship between them, that many F1 fans have praised them for. But even then, Leclerc could hardly rule out the possibility that somewhere down the line, there might be the rise of some tension from this competition as both racers want the title badly.
As of now, Charles Leclerc has a lot of making up to do once the Formula 1 season resumes after the summer break as there is a wide gap of 80 points between him and Max Verstappen. If the Monegasque wants to win from this point onwards, he has to be flawless in his approach.
Charles Leclerc comments on how his fight with Max Verstappen has affected their friendship
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen are not new to fighting against each other for a Championship title as they have competed many a times, ever since their karting days. As the second half of this season is all set to kickstart in another week’s time, Charles Leclerc sat down to discuss how things have transpired between him and Verstappen till now. He said, “There is a lot of mutual respect, which is nice to see. But when there are only five races to go and we are close together in the championship, it is inevitable that there will be more tension.”
Now, it remains to be seen if Verstappen is able to maintain his lead into the second half of this season, or if Charles Leclerc usurps him from the top position in the standings to capture that spot for himself. In the end, their rivalry has made this year’s F1 2022 Championship all the more interesting.
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Riddhi Mondal
(1821 Articles Published)