Charles Leclerc says he agrees with Max Verstappen’s claim that Lewis Hamilton “is not God”.
The Red Bull driver hasn’t been afraid to play down the Briton’s achievements in recent years pointing to the dominance of Mercedes and a weaker teammate in Valtteri Bottas.
And as Verstappen has gradually become more of a threat to the six-time world champion, Leclerc has also now come on the scene and is keen to be the man who ends his reign.
“Max is right, nobody is unbeatable. Not even Lewis, who is obviously a great champion,” he told Italy’s Il Resto del Carlino.
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That being said…
“He is certainly much more experienced than me,” Leclerc acknowledged.
“He has been in Formula 1 since 2007, while I’ve only been here since 2018. Hamilton is more complete than I am.
“I must learn to manage the tyres better in a race. Lewis is phenomenal at that.”
Hamilton and Leclerc have gone head-to-head already, most notably at Monza where the Monegasque held off the Mercedes throughout the race.
The Briton though was a bit miffed at one slightly controversial move that Charles made though, which forced Lewis down the escape road at the Roggia chicane.
“He said a dirty word but not in a negative way, probably he wasn’t happy but he said it laughing. He knows that those battles are part of the game,” he recalled.
“I respect him. I believe at the end the respect in sportsmen is the right attitude.”
A less compromising approach was something Leclerc became more known for after losing the Austrian Grand Prix to Verstappen in the closing laps, and he admits it is something he has had to do throughout his career against the Dutchman.
“I think we have improved our relationship a lot. 10 years ago in karting things were different, now we have grown up,” he said.
“Our battles are close to the limit but this is what fans want.
“The rivalry is intense because we have grown up together and it is probably a more aggressive battle compared to me and Hamilton. I feel I get more aggressive when I fight with Max.
“But outside the track, the respect is the same for Max and Lewis.”