Charles Leclerc has responded to Lewis Hamilton’s claim that he along with Max Verstappen pose genuine threats for the Formula 1 title in 2019.
The 21-year-old is making a highly-anticipated jump to Ferrari alongside Sebastian Vettel after a strong rookie season and has caught the attention of the Mercedes driver.
Considered one of the top member’s of F1’s new generation, Hamilton said this about Leclerc late last year.
“You have to dig deep because you have these young kids that are coming,” he said.
“Leclerc at Ferrari will be hungry to prove a point and you’ve got Max who is still hungry to prove a point, so I have to make sure I am still there [competing for the championship].”
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The Monegasque, who has set himself the target of a couple of wins for his first year with the Scuderia, admitted his pride at being singled out by Hamilton.
“It’s definitely an honour to hear that from Lewis,” Leclerc said. “He’s an incredible driver and I’ve watched him for quite a few years before arriving in Formula 1.
“I’ll just try to do the best I can next year, it’s definitely not going to be easy. He’s very experienced and an amazing driver, but it’s definitely good to hear that.”
