Simply a superb post above. Many thanks! :)
Leclerc to get Vettel's team of engineers and techs including the legendary Jock Clear. http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/vi...ersee_Leclerc/
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/141530/ferrari-will-prioritise-vettel-early-on-if-necessary Charles is young, yes but Vettel has failed for 2+years. He has not earned this to me. You go with the driver who is getting it right. Vettel??? LOL We shall see in time as always! —Ferrari is willing to prioritise Sebastian Vettel over his new Formula 1 team-mate Charles Leclerc if required in the early stages of the 2019 season. Vettel, who spearheaded Ferrari's ultimately unsuccessful title challenges in the past two years, often enjoyed preferential treatment on strategy over his now-former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. The team was criticised for its application of the policy last year, as it frustrated Raikkonen with overly vague instructions during the German Grand Prix and then allowed the Finn to battle Vettel at the start of the Italian GP after it had locked out the front-row. Ferrari's hesitant approach was in sharp contrast to rival team Mercedes' handling of team orders in the Russian GP later that season, when Valtteri Bottas was asked to move aside for Lewis Hamilton while leading. Raikkonen has been replaced by Leclerc for 2019 but, although the Monegasque has been tipped to give Vettel a tougher challenge, team boss Mattia Binotto said he would not start the season on a completely equal standing to the four-time world champion. "I think it's normal, especially early in the season, that if there are particular situations our priority will be Sebastian," said Binotto at the launch of Ferrari's new SF90. "He is the guide with which we aim for the championship. "But there's no prejudice - the absolute priority is for Ferrari to win." Vettel and Raikkonen's partnership was one of the more harmonious in the F1 paddock, but Binotto - who replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team boss in the off-season - does not expect Leclerc's arrival to be disruptive. "To have a driver pairing so competitive I think it's not a problem but an opportunity," Binotto said. "Sebastian has little to prove, and he remains our guide. Charles still has to learn, as pointed out by himself, but we know how talented he is. "I hope to have this problem of having two drivers to manage among the top positions." Image Unavailable, Please Login After his Ferrari switch was confirmed last year, Leclerc said he would target winning the drivers' title in his first year should the team maintain its frontrunning 2018 form. Asked at Friday's launch whether he was still thinking of the title heading into the campaign, Leclerc said: "I do not think about the championship, I have so much to do in front of me. "I'll have a good reference thanks to Sebastian, right now I don't want to aim for anything but just to work. "Then we'll see what will come."—
This will be fascinating.Leclerc just has to go for it and do his best to out qualify Seb, Ferrari will get behind him pdq ,they really must be frustrated with Vettel. Charles is no 'butler'.I really think he has that killer instinct that the greats always have.Excited!
Good luck to Leclerc, but I don't have any illusion that he will surpass Vettel (which is not good news for Ferrari). I hope I'm wrong.
No one thought a young LH would have immediate impact either. I heard nothing of such predictions. Ricci made Vettel look weak. No one predicted this???
I think Leclerc is good enough. He makes mistakes (as they all do). If he learned from them Ferrari could have a problem on their hands: If their car is good...they must make sure they don't throw away countless points on a stupid intrateam battle...Imagine that. Fastest car and losing it because they're too busy with their internal squable. I raised this point several times last year. With Kimi they knew what they would get. With Leclerc, they better make sure he obliges or have some good leverage on him.
Vettel should no longer rate #1 status. He should have to re-earn it. He has had enough time to not make the mistakes he does.
I agree with that also. But a title for Ferrari is more important than whether Vettel earns number 1 status or not. If Leclerc is on pace immediately or even faster, Ferrari is left with the tough decision to support the faster driver. Good luck getting that done.
I just cannot understand how Seb is so underrated by some people....have you ever seen him drive?!!! Some say he cannot fight but i have seen amaing overtakings from him, i can remenber both force indias in canada for example, even last year against elton in Austria...true he did a lot of crap, but that doesn't mean he isn't a formidable racer. I'm far from being his biggest fan, but i'm happy he is at Ferrari, and although i believe Charles is very good, i will be surprised if he matches Seb right away..but i hope he will! many say elton was a super driver last year, well, when teh Ferrari was faster at the beggining of the year, i barely saw him!! he won baku without doing anything, it just fell on his lap, it was only when his car became stronger that he started to look the part.
They have entered this knowingly I think. They can say nice things in public about Vettel and his early 'priority' but we know that is based on performance and nothing else. A strong Mercedes will make this even more complex. For me it would be much easier to simply state - we have 2 drivers who will race, and based on performance we will back the stronger/faster of the 2.
Yep. And I like to think Ferrari can control Leclerc ''for the greater good'' if he's say 40 or so points behind when they need to make a call which driver to back for the season. If Vettel is that far back...I don't know if Ferrari can control him(in fact I do know, they can't). Vettel has won championships from being ''too far'' back in the points. Leclerc's long term future is being at Ferrari. If he can see that and play the support role for a season in order to secure a title, I think he'll do it. Vettel, ironically, has a point to prove.
The press on SKY covering this are not putting out favorable things about Seb that have come out in Webber's book among other sources. He was babied and coddled at Red Bull and is not at Ferrari so far. I have zero sympathy for Vettel. His last 2 years are telling. He has control issues and much like Max is easily rattled.
I have to say I think Max is learning more from his mistakes that Vettel is. Max has/had age one his side to allow some leeway for immaturity. Seb certainly has not in both age and multiple championship maturity. Max's turning point was his crash at Monaco last year and missing out on qualifying. He turned around for the better. The push he gave at Brazil I have no issues with (Remember Schumacher going at Coulthard Spa 1998...). Nor his frustrations at missing out on pole record due to a malfunctioning engine.
I can see this. Vettel is making rookie mistakes and not controlling the mist now? After 4 titles. I can see him winning again. Starting up front in a car that is dominant. He is not a good wheel to wheel racer. He is not in my top 3 at all.
Such bias still given to Seb...oh, well if Leclerc can rise above all that in his rookie year then there shall be no doubt of how overrated Seb is. I can only hope the team won’t intentionally hold lecler back to save seb some face...
Vettel needs a reset. I don't think he does well when he's under pressure, frankly. He's far more comfortable leading from the front rather than chasing (same as Lewis). After the last 2 years he's dropped out of my top 3. Fast on a single lap. Fast in the lead. Chasing? All bets are off. I genuinely believe Ferrari won't hold Leclerc back. If Leclerc is fast out of the gates there's not much to be done. If, God forbid, Vettel does something stupid (crashing into leclerc on a boneheaded overtake) I think Ferrari would take very little liberty in that. Have it happen again they should suspend him immediately and replace him with Kimi. Vettel wants to win at all costs, but doesn't use his head in most of these situations or listen to the team (see him overtaking Webber in Turkey and Malaysia, crashing into Button in Spa and the bizarre spins last year). If he can't be a team player he should be shown where the door is. Sadly. Verstappen is learning from his mistakes and after another stern talking to last year he started to make his overtakes far more mature. Vettel needs the same.
Ferrari are gearing up to make Charles the next Gilles, which I think is entirely possible. The setting is ripe
