Leclerc channels inner Verstappen with bold F1 approach

Charles Leclerc insists he feels he could match Max Verstappen's bending of the F1 rules should the opportunity arise.

Verstappen's aggressive driving standards caused controversy in the 2024 season, especially in Mexico City where he earned 20 seconds worth of time penalties after forcing title rival Lando Norris off track in a matter of seconds.

Verstappen is known for his ruthless nature on track, with that being one piece in the armoury that he brought him 63 grand prix wins and four world championships to date.

Leclerc is an old karting rival of Verstappen, with the two having an infamous incident during their early careers, whilst they have also clashed in F1, most famously at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix where Verstappen barged past leader Leclerc to steal the win late on.

In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Leclerc insists that when the situation calls for it, he can match Verstappen's aggressive style.

"You've got to pick your battles, and I feel like Max knows how to adapt to different situations, and we've seen it [in 2024]," he says.

"There were moments where he was not aggressive, but when the end of the season arrived, and Lando was coming back there, you could see him play with the rules a lot more, and I feel like I've got that in me. 

"I know that whenever big things will be at stake, when it will be the moment to take those risks with the right people, I'll go for it. 

"But that's also why I've always enjoyed racing with Max, the mentality of the driver is a big part.

"We've known each other for a long time, and so it is always more exciting when we're fighting together.

"Unfortunately [not in 2024], because at the beginning of the season, he had quite a dominant car and we were not in the fight with him. He had no reason to be aggressive with us in some kinds of ways, and then we were playing catch-up.

"By the time we were competitive, there was Lando in-between, so he never really saw us as a direct competitor, so [in 2024], there weren't these fights."

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Charles Leclerc exclusive

Verstappen has dominated F1 since 2021, and claimed an astonishing 19 wins from 22 races in the 2023 season, before adding a further nine to his tally to defend his title once again last season. 

For Leclerc, the success of the Dutchman comes as no great surprise.

"It doesn't come as a surprise, I think obviously knowing him since we were young, I've always seen how talented he was since the very first day with Max," he says.

"I've seen [Max] when he was very young like me and the way we grew up together. 

"He's just extremely solid, and keeps his biggest strength which is his talent. He is reliable, consistent and extremely fast. He is an incredible driver and deserves all the success he's had."