Sauber's Zehnder: Leclerc a blend of Raikkonen and Schumacher

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Sauber team boss Beat Zehnder believes Charles Leclerc blends the speed of Kimi Raikkonen with the work ethic of Michael Schumacher.

Zehnder worked with Leclerc during the Monegasque's maiden season of F1 in 2018, an impressive debut campaign that incited Ferrari to move its young protégé from Sauber to the Scuderia after just a single year.

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"It was a very good season, it was a very interesting season working again with a young kid," Zehnder told Motorsport.com.

"We've done this before, but for the first time in a long time, we had a newcomer, a very special driver with a very special attitude.

"I've never seen a driver like Charles before, and it was again very rewarding for all the work we had, for all the difficult times we had, to work with a kid again."

Zehnder's long-standing role as Sauber's team manager provided him with a special insight into the talent and skills of Raikkonen and Schumacher who raced with the Hinwil squad during its Group C days in sportscar racing.

And Leclerc is definitely on a par with his illustrious predecessors said the 56-year-old Sauber man.

"I've always said that for me, from his speed, he's Kimi Raikkonen, and from his working attitude, he's probably Michael [Schumacher]," added Zehnder.

"Give him a good car, and he's going to be world champion, definitely."

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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.