Charles Leclerc is being tipped to rise up against a “broken” Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari by Dutch Formula 1 pundit Tom Coronel.
Much has been said about the Monegasque’s move to the Scuderia for 2019 and whether the four-time world champion can put another disappointment behind him and challenge again this season.
However, Coronel believes the two will combine and work in Leclerc’s favour providing he is allowed to by Ferrari.
“This is now a period in which the new generation will rise”, Coronel told Holland’s Formule 1 outlet.
“Vettel lost the world championship again last year and is simply broken, I’m sure he will not be able to overcome this and I hope Ferrari will give both drivers the freedom to race.
“What Leclerc showed last season was just pure class, and he scored points with ‘a bite’ regularly.
“Sauber, of course, drove a Ferrari engine and Leclerc has been able to take advantage of that.”
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Another driver keen to see the 21-year-old succeed is Felipe Massa, who also appeared to suggest the Italian team should put no restrictions on him.
“For me, what Ferrari is doing with Leclerc is very good. This kid can be a super champion in the future and I hope and cheer that this can be in a near future,” he told Autosport.
The Brazilian, who now competes in Formula E, also commented on Ferrari’s decision to replace Maurizio Arrivabene as team boss with technical director Mattia Binotto.
“Binotto is a calm guy. He is a guy that has the capacity to work in a calmer way and maybe absorb less of this pressure that you have in Ferrari than Arrivabene,” Massa claimed.
“It is a new moment for him, he was never a team principal before. We have to see how he will work because it is an important change.
“He became the boss but will be on the technical side as well. Speaking the truth, this can be good.
“I wish the best to him because I know him since I joined Ferrari.”