Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc once again went head-to-head on track yesterday, igniting hopes for a championship battle. It’s time to see them compete for a world title
Yesterday, Verstappen carved his way through the grid like it was nothing—from backmarkers all the way to early weekend favorites like Oscar Piastri. No one could match Red Bull’s No. 1. But then he crossed paths with Charles Leclerc, who forced an intense battle after the Monegasque driver made a small error exiting the final corner, running his SF-24 wide onto the curb. Poi, però, sulla sua strada ha incontrato Charles Leclerc, con il quale ha avuto un incontro ravvicinato dopo un errore del monegasco in uscita dall’ultima curva, quando la sua SF-24 è andata lunga sul cordolo.
The Brazilian crowd was thrilled by the wheel-to-wheel fight between Leclerc and Verstappen into Turn 1. Leclerc held his ground fiercely—defending “Max-style,” as he shut down the outside line of Verstappen’s RB20 through the famous Senna Esses. Though Verstappen ultimately got past during the pit stops, it was a showdown where the Dutchman was forced to work harder than anticipated, even tipping his hat to Leclerc’s driving.
“My comeback stopped there because I found a quite good driver,” Verstappen joked in the cool-down room, talking about the duel with his French podium companions.
“The Red Bull? Strong today, but the driver made the difference” , Leclerc added post-race.
They know each other well, and more than anyone else on the grid, they know how to race on the edge without crossing it. We all remember those early 2022 battles. It’s time to see this rivalry mature fully, to showcase a clash between two of the sport’s brightest talents fighting for the ultimate prize.
We may still have to wait, but we’ve waited long enough. It’s time for those two boys from 1997 to take the fight seriously.
For real.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari HP, Oracle Red Bull Racing
