Leclerc backs Vasseur for Ferrari hot seat

Charles Leclerc would welcome the "straightforward, very honest" Frederic Vasseur as the new Ferrari team principal.

The Monégasque driver has plenty of prior experience working with Vasseur in GP3 when racing for ART and latterly during his debut F1 season with Sauber, the team now running as Alfa Romeo.

Even before Mattia Binotto had resigned from his position as team principal, his Alfa Romeo opposite number had already been strongly linked to replace him in the role.

Speaking at the FIA prize-giving gala in Bologna, Leclerc was initially sceptical of voicing an opinion on who he would like to see take the helm of the Scuderia.

But asked specifically about Vasseur's qualities, Leclerc said: “Ferrari is a very different team to any other team. I can only comment on my experience with Fred which obviously has been good.

READ MORE: Leclerc confident Ferrari "won't suffer" in transition after Binotto exit

“I have been working with Fred already from the junior categories where he has believed in me and we have always had a good relationship.

“But apart from that, obviously, it shouldn’t influence any of the decisions.

“He has always been very straightforward, very honest and this is something that I like from Fred.

“Whether it will be him or not, I don’t know, and we will see, hopefully, in the next few months.”

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