Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
It’s beginning to look like a two-horse race for the 2022 Driver’s Title in Formula 1, between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (the reigning champ) and Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Each has already won twice in the opening four rounds of the 2022 season.
The two have engaged in spectacular on-track battles on several occasions this year, most notably in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where they went wheel to wheel.
Thankfully, we haven’t seen any incidents yet, which is quite a departure compared to what we saw in past years whenever Verstappen was fighting Lewis Hamilton for the win.
Now, while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner didn’t go as far as to say there’s more respect between his driver and Leclerc than there was with Hamilton, he did acknowledge the history between Verstappen and the Ferrari driver, reports Motorsport.
“I think they’ve grown up racing each other in karting and so on, and they know each other very well,” said Horner. “They come from the same generation and there is a genuine respect between the two of them.”
Horner's sentiments were mirrored by Leclerc himself, who recalls that it’s “always been very close” between himself and Verstappen in the junior ranks.
“In karting I remember it was either me or him, and that's why we hated each other at one point, because very often it didn't end in the best way possible,” said Leclerc. “But it was good times. I think we just have two very different styles of driving. Sometimes one will win, sometimes the other might, but it’s fun. I like it.”
After four races this year, Leclerc leads the standings with 86 points, followed by the reigning Formula 1 world champ with 59 points. We expect Verstappen to close in on Leclerc at some point this year, although that’s not to say he’ll repeat as champion.
Thankfully, we haven’t seen any incidents yet, which is quite a departure compared to what we saw in past years whenever Verstappen was fighting Lewis Hamilton for the win.
Now, while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner didn’t go as far as to say there’s more respect between his driver and Leclerc than there was with Hamilton, he did acknowledge the history between Verstappen and the Ferrari driver, reports Motorsport.
“I think they’ve grown up racing each other in karting and so on, and they know each other very well,” said Horner. “They come from the same generation and there is a genuine respect between the two of them.”
Horner's sentiments were mirrored by Leclerc himself, who recalls that it’s “always been very close” between himself and Verstappen in the junior ranks.
“In karting I remember it was either me or him, and that's why we hated each other at one point, because very often it didn't end in the best way possible,” said Leclerc. “But it was good times. I think we just have two very different styles of driving. Sometimes one will win, sometimes the other might, but it’s fun. I like it.”
After four races this year, Leclerc leads the standings with 86 points, followed by the reigning Formula 1 world champ with 59 points. We expect Verstappen to close in on Leclerc at some point this year, although that’s not to say he’ll repeat as champion.
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