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Andretti unsure if it's 'the right moment' for Leclerc

Motorsport legend Mario Andretti isn't sure if Ferrari's decision to include Charles Leclerc in its line-up will prove beneficial to the Italian outfit in 2019.

Leclerc's outstanding credentials and his impressive maiden campaign in F1 with Sauber prompted the Scuderia to replace Kimi Raikkonen with the Monegasque, pretty much fulfilling a desire expressed by Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne before his untimely passing last summer.

However, Andretti wonders if the young and ambitious charger will get along with Sebastian Vettel, whom the 1978 world champion views as the right man to lead Ferrari.

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"He is absolutely the right man for Ferrari," Andretti told Sky Italia.

"I remember in his first year with Red Bull, I asked him what were his ambitions for the future and he immediately replied: Drive for Ferrari!

"He is the right driver for the job. I think it’s hard to say who between Hamilton and Vettel is better because they drive different cars, but they’re both good guys.

"The Leclerc-Vettel pairing seems correct, the alternative would have been to continue with Kimi because he and Sebastian got along very well. But we will see.

"Leclerc seems to be very good and being young means he has a good future ahead of him.

"It was Marchionne’s idea to promote him but I don’t know if this is the right moment for Leclerc," added the American.

"With two drivers in a team there must be a number one and a number two, having two number ones never works."

Andretti, who at 78 still leads the parade lap at IndyCar races at the wheel of the series' two-seater, admitted he wasn't surprised by the unsettling and management changes that took place at the House of Maranello this week.

"It doesn’t surprise me so much because there has always been a policy there: if they don’t win, someone has to leave," he said.

"We saw what happened to Stefano Domenicali, who was great there… the team principal is always to blame.

"Ferrari must always be at the top because this serves to keep interest alive. Nobody works harder than Ferrari, because there you breathe and you live for Formula 1."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.