F1: New Sparks In Ferrari As Leclerc Proclaims Like For Hamilton Over Teammate Vettel
Charles Leclerc has said that he is more like Lewis Hamilton than his Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel.
The 21-year-old Monegasque Formula One (F1) driver is expected to rule the sport once the current big names in F1 bow out. The reigning champion, Hamilton, has won the world championship for as many as five times, one more than Leclerc's teammate Vettel.
Leclerc is set to follow Hamilton's footsteps off the field as well.
"Like Lewis, I'm about to start my own clothing line, it's something I wanted to do for a long time. On this front, I am more like Lewis, I like to test myself on other fronts: it is an approach that helps me to switch off after the race weekends," the Monaco-born F1 racer told Morotorsport.com.
Leclerc, who has out-qualified his experienced teammate for the last nine races in a row, has insisted that he wants to make full use of the opportunity given to him by Ferrari.
"I analyze everything I do to see if I can do better, that's how I grew over the years. When I put the car on the wall, as in Germany, I immediately understand that it's my fault, I can only take it out on myself.
"To grow you must understand and admit your mistakes, it is an approach that works for me, it is not necessarily the same for everyone," Leclerc, who is currently third in the drivers' championship race, added.
The better the results Leclerc produces, the more the pressure builds on Vettel, who joined the Italian side in 2015 and has failed to end Ferrari's championship drought of 12 years.
The Ferrari teammates have clashed several times this season. The latest disagreement between the two happened in Sochi, where Leclerc finished third and Vettel was forced to retire due to an engine problem.
Vettel ignited the controversy when he refused to follow the pre-race agreement made by Ferrari about Leclerc. The German was supposed to return Leclerc his lead after taking up the position in the first lap, but Vettel refused to do so unless his teammate caught up with him.
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