Monegasque racing driver Charles Leclerc has caught the eye of the big boss Jean Todt, thanks to his recent mind-blowing performances. The FIA president was full of admiration for the driver, praising him for his leadership qualities.
Todt even likened him to the Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher, which speaks volumes of his admiration of the 21-year-old. It’s not a scenario we are privileged to witness always – a very young driver spearheading his Formula One team.
Just when Ferrari needed it most, Leclerc turned savior for Ferrari, stepping up for the motorsport team this season. He has been the main man for Ferrari this season, despite spending only a single season at the pinnacle of Formula One, racing for Sauber last year.
The Sauber F1 Team, who renamed to Alfa Romeo Racing this season, engaged in a swap deal with Ferrari, with Kimi Räikkönen and Leclerc switching sides. The latter replaced Räikkönen at Ferrari with the Finn moving in the opposite direction.
Although Leclerc had a mixed start to his Scuderia Ferrari career, there has been an immense improvement in his performances in recent weeks. Since returning from the mid-season break, he has won his two races firing him to the top of the table.
At the start of the season, Ferrari turned to F1 legend Sebastian Vettel as many expected, but as time went on, things changed. Leclerc has swayed the F1 team’s attention in his direction, owing to his recent commendable victories.
Now, Jean Todt has name-checked the Monegasque driver, describing him as a natural leader and even comparing him to Michael Schumacher.
In an interview with Auto Bild, Todt firmly stated, “Charles is extremely strong mentally,” referencing the driver’s great leadership qualities.
“He has the makings of a great champion and the same natural way to lead a team as Michael Schumacher once did. He represents the future of Formula 1 and Ferrari”, he concluded.
Written by: Arum Victor