F1 News
Leclerc doesn't see himself as favourite for 2020 F1 title: "Would be arrogant"
Charles Leclerc was onstage during the 2020 Ferrari F1 challenger reveal on Tuesday night. The man from Monaco will start his second season at Scuderia. Last year, he managed to beat Sebastian Vettel in the world championship, but he still admits he has a lot to learn.
Learning from mistakes from 2019
The past season was therefore far from flawless for the young man, something he himself recognised.
"I think I made several mistakes, but the biggest one was probably in Baku when I crashed in Q2 when it wasn't necessary at all [to take that much risk]," he says after the presentation of the SF1000.
“I think I've learned from that. I have learned a lot of small things in general, especially with regard to race management and strategy, which is always very complex in Formula 1. If there is something I still want to improve about myself, it is to have a better overview of the race. I think that can be very useful in the future."
According to him, Leclerc is not a favourite
To be able to win in 2020, he will also have to beat his teammate Vettel. The team has previously indicated that the drivers are free to race against each other, but Leclerc understands that this freedom also requires some responsibility. He is also modest, especially when asked if he sees himself as a favourite.
“It is true that we are free to race against each other, but we are also teammates and there are a lot of people who work hard to get us on the track. That is why incidents such as in Interlagos may no longer happen. I, therefore, think that we both leave more room to be safe in such situations from now on," he continued.
“I don't see myself as a favourite at the age of 22. I'm starting my third season in Formula 1 and that would be very arrogant. I hope to be in the future, but I still have a lot to learn to fulfil that role. There are still drivers like Seb [Vettel] and Lewis [Hamilton] who have more experience than we youngsters."