Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel raced alongside various teammates during his F1 career, but Charles Leclerc’s two years together with Ferrari F1 show him a younger self.
Sebastian Vettel welcomed Charles Leclerc as a teammate in 2019 when he was at Ferrari. The two riders immediately worked well together. However, the collaboration happened at very different points in their respective F1 careers.
Charles Leclerc’s talent was in his second season in F1, but the word ‘retirement’ was lurking in Sebastian Vettel’s mind after a difficult few years at Ferrari.
“In 2017 we had a great car, but it wasn’t enough,” Sebastian Vettel told the BeyondTheGrid F1 podcast.
“In 2018 we had a great car, but it ended up falling short. Both years we were devastated as we were unable to keep up with the development and just went backwards.”
“2019 was a little different year. The start of the season, at least for me, didn’t give me the momentum to think, ‘Okay, let’s do it again.'”
“So I started thinking about what’s really gone wrong in the last few years. Maybe I was thinking too much. Charles came in at the same time.”
Charles Leclerc had nearly won his second race for Ferrari in Bahrain. Leclerc’s ambition was to win a Grand Prix, but Sebastian Vettel had bigger ambitions.
“My goal wasn’t just to win races, I did that,” said Sebastian Vettel.
“My goal was to win the championship, the ideal way to win the championship, which is to win a lot of races.”
“Maybe I lost a little bit of myself in the process, maybe the rides here and there weren’t the best.”
“I would say some races were pretty good, but even so, the lessons I learned were more important.”
“Then, obviously, in 2020, the pandemic happened and there was room for that voice to grow louder within me.”
“It’s interesting, but I call it life. I think we all go through it in some way. I’m no exception, I’m nothing special.”
But looking back on the two seasons he spent with Charles Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel said he “really enjoyed” the time he shared with the now five-time grand prix winner.
“[Leclerc]it was at a very different time in his career and life” Vettel said.
“It was interesting to watch and I think we got along really well.”
“I really enjoyed the time we spent together.”
“He taught me some things, not necessarily about driving. It was like watching myself when I was younger. It took me a while to figure that out.
Category: F1 / Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari / Charles Leclerc
