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Rivola on Leclerc in Bahrain: "A star was born"

10:57, 11 Apr 2019

byJoseph Tyrrell

Massimo Rivola believes “a star was born” following Charles Leclerc’s performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix in which he finished third because of technical issues.

The Monegasque dominated all weekend in Bahrain, qualifying on pole, and won all but two of the pre-race sessions. He was dominating the race until his engine short-circuited allowing Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to overtake before a safety car assured him of third place in front of the catching Max Verstappen.

Leclerc has been touted as a future world champion which led to Ferrari taking a risk on him after his only season in F1 but Rivola believes the world have stood up and noticed.

"Seeing the engine that betrayed him ten laps from the end in Sakhir was a blow the I said to see the glass half full because the whole world realized how a star was born,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport

“I already knew it, but I'm biased.

“I think Ferrari has finally realized that too, I hope he no longer takes a decision like in Australia.

“He wants to win and has the advantage of doing it with innocence and that disarming smile.

“Charles wins the World Cup for me.”