Charles Leclerc is now firmly established as one among Ferrari’s most vital drivers, sitting fourth on the record of all-time race begins for the long-lasting workforce in Method 1. With 126 race appearances beneath his belt, he lately surpassed Sebastian Vettel and is now aiming to go Felipe Massa’s tally of 139 race begins, which he’s anticipated to realize across the center of the 2025 season. On the prime of the record is Michael Schumacher, who received 5 championships with Ferrari and made 180 race begins for the workforce, whereas Kimi Raikkonen sits in second place with 151 begins. Regardless of the arrival of Lewis Hamilton in 2025, Charles Leclerc stays Ferrari’s golden boy, having been with their driver academy since 2016 and incomes his first F1 contract with Sauber in 2018 after his success in GP3 and Method 2.
Charles Leclerc’s rise in Method 1 was swift and spectacular, spending just one season at Sauber earlier than transferring as much as Ferrari. In his first yr with the Scuderia, he claimed a historic win at Monza, and since then, he has added eight victories, 26 pole positions, and 42 podiums to his résumé. His arrival at Ferrari marked the top of a difficult interval for the workforce, with Leclerc outscoring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel by a big margin of 24 factors of their first season collectively. This sturdy efficiency led to the announcement that Vettel would depart the workforce on the finish of the 2020 season, making method for Carlos Sainz, who joined in 2021 and has since moved on to Williams.
Charles Leclerc’s uncooked expertise has earned him recognition from fellow drivers, with Esteban Ocon lately claiming that Charles Leclerc, alongside Max Verstappen, is likely one of the most naturally gifted drivers in F1. At 27 years previous, the Monegasque remains to be looking for his first World Championship title, along with his continued consistency and spectacular performances inserting him among the many sport’s elite.
Earlier than Leclerc’s rise to prominence, Ferrari had already been carefully monitoring his progress throughout his early years in Method 1. Sauber was not the one workforce operating Ferrari engines in 2018; Haas, an American outfit based in 2016, was additionally utilizing the Italian producer’s energy models. Haas’s star driver that season was Kevin Magnussen, who performed an important position in securing the workforce’s fifth-place end within the Constructors’ Championship, contributing 56 of their 93 factors. Kevin Magnussen’s sturdy performances early within the season, together with 4 top-six finishes within the first 9 races, sparked curiosity from Ferrari.
On the similar time, Charles Leclerc’s begin to his F1 profession was extra measured. He completed thirteenth, twelfth, and nineteenth in his first three races, which led Ferrari to think about him as a possible backup possibility. The Monegasque driver even examined on their simulator, however the workforce’s preliminary curiosity waned as Charles Leclerc’s performances improved over the course of the season. In the end, Ferrari’s choice to advertise him to their workforce was vindicated, as Charles Leclerc has gone on to develop into one of many workforce’s most promising abilities and is now a key determine of their pursuit of a championship.
“In 2018, we had a extremely good automobile within the first half of the yr,” – the Danish driver stated – “Charles had simply arrived in F1 with Sauber. And the beginning of his first season wasn’t nice. And mine was actually good! After which all of the sudden Ferrari was reaching out.” – he added.
“Abruptly I used to be driving of their simulator, not for Haas, however for Ferrari. They had been sniffing round. And I believed, okay… I used to be already getting enthusiastic about the place this was going. However then Charles began to essentially kill it! And I heard nothing. I don’t know the way shut it acquired. However I believe if Charles had not began to carry out, if he had had a s****y season all yr lengthy, I believe I might have been one of many drivers they’d have checked out. Generally you are feeling like you’re getting shut, however nonetheless not that shut. That’s the best way it goes.” – he admitted.
Anthony Davidson has expressed a powerful need to see Kevin Magnussen go head-to-head with Max Verstappen in a future Method 1 season, acknowledging the extreme rivalry that would emerge between the 2. Nonetheless, six years after Magnussen’s spectacular debut, he now finds himself with out a seat on the grid. With Haas opting to not renew his contract, as an alternative bringing in Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman for the upcoming seasons, it seems that Magnussen’s F1 profession could also be coming to an finish.
Magnussen’s early years in Method 1 had been marked by notable achievements that left followers and pundits alike impressed. His debut race in 2014, the place he completed on the rostrum in Australia, was a outstanding feat for a rookie driver, and he adopted it up with a shocking pole place on the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. But, regardless of these moments of brilliance, he by no means managed to safe a race win, a proven fact that has hung over his profession.
Along with his future in Method 1 unsure, Magnussen is eyeing a brand new chapter in motorsport, notably with the rise of Cadillac as a possible F1 workforce beginning in 2026. If the American workforce decides to usher in a seasoned driver to steer their cost, Magnussen might very nicely discover himself on their radar, bringing his intensive expertise and aggressive spirit to a brand new surroundings.
Anthony Davidson, a former F1 driver and present commentator, has lengthy been an admirer of Magnussen’s driving fashion, which he describes as aggressive and unyielding. Davidson has typically identified that Magnussen is a “robust nut,” somebody who isn’t afraid to become involved in wheel-to-wheel battles with a number of the greatest within the enterprise. In response to Davidson, the prospect of Magnussen going through off in opposition to Verstappen, identified for his relentless racing and no-nonsense method, would create an exciting and fiery dynamic on monitor. Their intense driving kinds might result in some extremely thrilling and unpredictable racing, making for a spectacle that followers would eagerly anticipate.
Anthony Davidson’s enthusiasm for this potential matchup displays a broader sentiment within the F1 neighborhood: that the game is all the time higher when its most aggressive drivers are pitted in opposition to each other. In a world the place rivalries typically outline a season, the concept of Kevin Magnussen and Max Verstappen locking horns would undoubtedly present loads of drama and pleasure for F1 followers all over the world.
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