Leclerc backed for F1 title fight in 2019
Leclerc backed for F1 title fight in 2019
Charles Leclerc has been backed to fight for the Formula 1 championship in his debut season at Ferrari by long-time rival Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman believes his former karting foe has what it takes to hit the ground running after stepping up from Sauber and can lead a revolution in F1 alongside Pierre Gasly, set for Red Bull in 2019.
Leclerc has backed up GP3 and Formula 2 titles with an impressive rookie campaign, scoring points in seven races for a Sauber side second-bottom in the constructors' championship.
Sebastian Vettel has challenge Lewis Hamilton for honours in 2018, but Ocon expects Leclerc to muscle in on the fight between two drivers who will start next year with nine world championships between them.
"I think Charles will fight for the title next year, for sure," he said. "At least it won't be a surprise to me.
"You will see that Pierre and Charles are going to fight for wins and podiums. Probably the mentality of F1 is going to change with that, seeing that young drivers can do the job, too. That's only going to help the younger ones coming in.
"We've been fighting all the way through, to be honest, me Charles and Pierre. Me and Charles more than with Pierre, because Pierre started a bit later in karting, and in the French championship I was winning and then I was fighting with Charles, and Charles was arriving and he was a rookie.
"I know him pretty well. The first race we raced together was in 2005 in Mini Karts, we were seven or eight years old.
"We were first and second. I was on the inside and we crashed on the last corner of the last lap, so he didn't finish, and I finished like sixth or seventh. That was the first time we met.
"All our career we've been fighting like this together. I know he has a very good talent from day one. He's one of the quickest guys out there, and I think he will show that next year, definitely."
MORE: Keeping Raikkonen over Leclerc 'too risky' for Ferrari
MORE: Vettel warned Leclerc won't be number two at Ferrari
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Incredible statistic puts Verstappen AHEAD of Hamilton record
- 41 minutes ago
Fierce rival calls Hamilton F1's GOAT in surprise admission
- 1 hour ago
Mercedes star tipped to replace struggling driver THIS season
- 2 hours ago
F1 legend issues DAMNING verdict on proposed rule change
- 3 hours ago
Red Bull chief admits interest in poaching TWO rival stars
- Today 09:57
Audi agree LONG-TERM F1 deal with star driver
- Today 09:13
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860