Steiner warns Leclerc: 'Hamilton even better than when he was 30'
F1 News
The age difference: the much talked about chasm that separates Ferrari's new driver lineup. While Lewis Hamilton is in the twilight of his F1 racing years, Charles Leclerc is not yet in his prime. Former team boss, Guenther Steiner, has had his say in the matter and sees that the Monegasque's youth is not the game changer many believe it to be.
Hamilton's 40, to Leclerc's 27 years of age, yields a 13-year difference. Did Steiner fall out of his bed after learning of Hamilton's move to Ferrari? Steiner responds to Australian show, The Project. "No, not really," to only then be confronted with the seven-time world champion's age. "What's wrong with being 40? I'm 60 next year," Steiner replied humorously.
"But I think he's pretty fit and [at] 40, obviously, he cannot do another 10 years, but he has for sure got a few more in him, like Fernando Alonso. He's a little bit over 40, but he's still good," added Steiner downplaying the impact of age in F1.
Does Hamilton have the upper-hand over Leclerc?
"As we all know, you get older, you get more experience, you get better at that one. So, going racing, maybe he's even better than when he was 30," continued Steiner before highlighting the area where the new Ferrari driver may struggle to match his teammate. "Maybe qualifying, [on] one lap, a young man is a little bit better."
However, Hamilton's 18 years of F1 racing experience may prove to be pivotal in his duel against Leclerc. "But then you make it up by being [better] in the race, because you have lived a lot of situations," concluded Steiner.