Charles Leclerc: One Quality That’s His Biggest Weakness and Strength in F1
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Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc feels that one of his greatest qualities also doubles as a sign of weakness. The Monegasque had an excellent first year at Ferrari, but it was far from perfect. Leclerc recently opened up on one of his attributes which he perceives as a gift but also a curse.
Analyzing Charles Leclerc’s mistakes
Charles Leclerc debuted for Ferrari after completing only a single season in F1. Leclerc impressed everyone with his raw speed and aggression, but it was not a season that was error-free.
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For instance – consider the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Leclerc pushed too hard and threw away a potential pole position on a track where Ferrari could finally challenge Mercedes.
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Next, the Monaco Grand Prix – this was Charles’ home race. Starting from the back is always a challenge in Monte Carlo, but Leclerc was determined to put up a good show. The Monegasque attempted a clumsy maneuver whilst attempting to pass Romain Grosjean, resulting in a puncture.
Leclerc, now livid and desperate to get back into the race: stormed into the pits. However, that resulted in floor damage – rendering the car undrivable. This forced Leclerc to retire from his home race.
Finally- the Japanese Grand Prix. Similar to Monaco, Leclerc had a coming together with Max Verstappen. That resulted in insurmountable damage to his car, but Leclerc was adamant not to pit for repairs. Leclerc was ultimately penalized after the race.
Despite his mistakes, Leclerc did show signs of brilliance at many races. Leclerc displayed his racecraft during his maiden victory at Spa and the Italian Grand Prix. Furthermore, Leclerc took a staggering 7 pole positions in 2019.
One of Leclerc’s highlights last year was a phenomenal victory at Monza. The Scuderia had finally won at home after 9 long years. This catapulted the young Monegasque to stardom and signaled a change in balance at the team. Leclerc had won over the support of the Tifosi, who hailed Charles as the prince of Ferrari.
Charles Leclerc on his aggressive style
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All these incidents have a common theme: aggression. The hunger to prove and beat the rest is a commendable attribute, but also a double-edged sword. According to Leclerc, the ‘killer instinct’ is a dangerous trait which he believes he must learn to control.
Speaking to Motor Sport Magazine, Leclerc said: “As soon as I’m in the car I have that killer instinct,
“I don’t want to finish second or third, fourth or fifth; those places don’t matter. I think it’s a strength but it can also be a weakness.”
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“Some of the mistakes I’ve done this year are part of this mentality because I gave it all in moments that I could have just taken less.”
Leclerc recently signed a 5-year extension with Ferrari, keeping the Monegasque at Maranello till 2024. With young blood and stable regulations, Ferrari will be hoping for a change of fortune in 2020.
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