Webber: ‘Leclerc could be next in the crosshairs’

Mark Scott
Charles Leclerc PA

Charles Leclerc PA

Mark Webber will be keeping a beady eye on Charles Leclerc at Ferrari once the honeymoon period is over between the duo.

Leclerc is in his second season with the Scuderia and is making the most of a bad situation with two podium finishes to his name so far in a very uncompetitive SF1000.

The dynamic with team-mate Sebastian Vettel has come with its flashpoints since the start of 2019 campaign where Leclerc quickly dislodged his counterpart as the number one driver.

Vettel went from the chosen one to the unwanted one at Ferrari and Webber is pondering whether Leclerc will go down that same path in the years to come now that Vettel is departing the team.

“Keep an eye on Charles Leclerc,” Webber said via Channel 4. “I’m interested in him and the next few years [at Ferrari].

“It’s the honeymoon period now, but we’re going to be sitting here in the next 24 months, three years possibly saying Charles Leclerc could be quite tired too [of Ferrari].

“It’s a big, big undertaking to drive for Ferrari and he could be the next one in the crosshairs.”

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Leclerc was a frustrated figure back in the Mugello paddock after failing to build on his P5 spot in qualifying, instead finishing P8 in what ultimately ended up being a 12-car contest.

Leclerc has always been honest in his post-race assessments and Sunday at Mugello was no different.

“We were just slow, there’s not much more to add to that,” he told reporters at Mugello.

“We didn’t have the pace, I did a good start, put myself I think in the best position possible, I had the two Mercedes that were going away so I had clear air, just struggling so much with the car.

“We need to work honestly and try to understand because some races we are not very competitive in quali and we are better in the race, which had been the case at the beginning of the season, now we seem to have done quite a good job yesterday in quali but then struggling massively with the car in the race.

“It’s a difficult moment.”

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