Helmut Marko: “Leclerc reminds me of Max from last year”

After a 2021 season marked by fierce rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes, Ferrari has joined the battle at the start of this season. Charles Leclerc is dominating the standings, but the fight with Red Bull promises to be thrilling. The Monegasque driver has already engaged in epic battles with Max Verstappen’s RB18, who snatched victory from him in Jeddah. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s special advisor, discussed the comparison between the only two drivers to have won a race this season in an interview with F1-insider.com.

First of all, Leclerc has still earned much less than Max, and last year, Sainz was on his level. But Leclerc is doing much better with the new Ferrari, with which he is extremely fast and doesn’t make any mistakes. His self-confidence is much greater. He somewhat reminds of Max’s domination last year. Now, we have to try to break this domination, analyzes the Austrian.

According to Marko, a new generation is taking control of the sport. With Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris, and Russell, we now have four drivers who will leave their mark in the coming years. But what about the previous generation of Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton? The British driver should not be forgotten, even if he is approaching the twilight of his career.

« Hamilton still has a lot of experience. This was often seen last year, especially when he managed to achieve great times with extremely worn-out tires. But there comes a point where routine can no longer quite compete with the enthusiasm, momentum, and speed of youth. In Sebastian’s case, it should be added that he is certainly the most disadvantaged of all from a car perspective. »

Helmut Marko is concerned about the fate of his former protégé, unrecognizable at the beginning of this season and not helped by a poorly born Aston Martin. « It hurts to see a four-time world champion in such a situation. », regrets Marko. The Austrian has been asked to comment on rumors that suggest Vettel may leave Formula 1 during the season, which is not the style of the German driver according to him.

(In principle, leaving the team mid-season does not align with Sebastian’s strong-willed character. However, the team should soon improve, otherwise it will become increasingly difficult to stay motivated. He has a two-year contract and is currently in a poor car. He is fighting to do better. An alternative would be to write off the season now and focus on next year. But in that case, I believe Vettel no longer wants to fight to help the team,” analyzes Helmut Marko.)