Duel with Verstappen helped Leclerc: 'Could go over the limit then'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Charles Leclerc has been driving a lot more aggressively since the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, or so he says himself. This is partly due to the fierce duel the Monegasque had with Max Verstappen.
With Verstappen over the limit
In Austria 2019, it seemed for a moment that Leclerc would win his first Grand Prix. Verstappen, however, put a stop to this. The Dutchman had a poor start to the race, but fought back handsomely with overtakes on Leclerc and others.
That fight was hard and since that duel Leclerc is driving a lot more aggressively. "That's partly because the stewards' approach changed that weekend. We were allowed to go beyond what the limits were then," Leclerc explains in conversation with the Italian branch of Motorsport.com.
No win, but good for Formula 1
Leclerc eventually finished second in that race after being overtaken two laps before the end. Despite losing his first win, the Ferrari driver immediately said he thought it was good for the sport though. "I've always thought that if we had been allowed to race with fewer restrictions, we could offer more spectacular races. That's what has happened."
The stewards are now less likely to hand out penalties and Leclerc is pleased with that. The Monegasque explains that he and the team have more confidence to race harder. "I have adapted well to this new situation," concludes Leclerc.