Sauber boss Fred Vasseur believes Charles Leclerc will be facing huge pressure next season to deliver on expectations but insists that any relative compare between the young gun and Lewis Hamilton would be ‘unfair’.
As one of Formula 1’s best talent-spotters who managed in the past a swarm of young drivers through his ART racing team, including Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Vasseur knows all too well the qualities required to shine at the pinnacle of motorsport as well as the potential pitfalls that await an aspiring champion.
While he feels confident in the 21-year-old’s ability to perform with Ferrari, Vasseur refrains from making any projections about how Leclerc will measure up against F1’s freshly crowned five-time world champion.
“I don’t compare Charles today with people such as Lewis,” Vasseur said.
“First of all, Lewis was more than ten years ago, and he drove for McLaren, and they were a title contender, so there was a big aspect of differences at the same stage, with Lewis.
“When Charles joined us, we were at the back of the grid, so Charles’ approach was a completely different one,” he added.
“It was much easier to start with Sauber, I think. He struggled a little bit on his first appearance, with so little testing. But step by step, the pace was quite fast and he improved a lot in his management skills.”
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However, with his entry in to the House of Maranello will come a whole new set of challenges for Leclerc, but Vasseur is convinced the young charger is world championship material.
“Will he surprise? You never know, because at first it will depend on the value of the car that is in your business,” says the Sauber boss.
“It is always relative, but the car is improving, Charles is improving and everything is there on the table for him.”
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