From karting to F1: the eternal rivalry between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen

01/03/2025 11:28 AM

On the current F1 grid, if there's one driver who has proven capable of battling Max Verstappen on equal terms—given their shared history—it's Charles Leclerc. The two clashed multiple times during their karting days, making them highly familiar with each other's moves.

Max Verstappen's aggressive driving standards have sparked controversy in previous seasons and again in 2024, particularly in Mexico City, where he received a 20-second penalty after forcing title rival Lando Norris off the track in a wheel-to-wheel duel. This aggressive style, however, has earned Max Verstappen 63 Grand Prix victories and four world championships.

Charles Leclerc, a former karting rival of Max Verstappen, shares a storied history with the Dutchman. They famously collided during their early careers and have also faced off in F1, notably at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen overtook Charles Leclerc, then leading the race, to snatch victory in the closing stages.

In an exclusive interview with *RacingNews365*, Charles Leclerc reiterated that he can match Max Verstappen's aggressive style when the situation demands it.

"You have to pick your battles, and I think Max knows how to adapt to different situations, as we saw in 2024," Charles Leclerc stated.

"There were times when he wasn't aggressive, but as the season progressed and Lando was closing the gap, you could see he started playing within the rules much more. I feel I'm capable of doing the same. When there's something important at stake, when it's time to take risks with the same people, I will do it. But that's also why I've always enjoyed racing against Max: the driver's mindset is crucial. We've known each other for a long time, so it's always more thrilling when we fight together."

"Unfortunately, not in 2024, because at the start of the season, he had a fairly dominant car, and we weren't in contention with him. He had no reason to be aggressive with us in certain ways, and by then, we were playing catch-up. When we were competitive, Lando was in the mix, so he never saw us as direct rivals. That's why there weren't such battles in 2024."

Max Verstappen has dominated F1 since 2021, securing 19 wins out of 22 races in the 2023 season before adding another nine to defend his title again last season.

For Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen's success comes as no surprise.

"It's not surprising. Knowing him since we were young, I've always recognized his talent from day one. I saw Max when he was very young, just like me, and the way we grew up together. He's extremely solid and maintains his greatest strength—his talent. He's reliable, consistent, and incredibly fast. He's an amazing driver and deserves all the success he's achieved." – he pointed out.

There's mutual respect between the two, and their battles are spectacular. Think of their duels in early 2019 or 2022, where they had serious wheel-to-wheel fights.

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