Leclerc on karting rivalry with Verstappen: "We hated each other"

How well do the two F1 rivals Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc get along now, they got along so badly during their younger years while karting. Leclerc admits that the two hated each other at the time.

No new rivalry between Verstappen and Leclerc

Verstappen crashed out twice at a Grand Prix this season, but at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix where he did not crash, we saw a titanic fight between the Dutchman and the Ferrari driver. Leclerc regretted his loss but thanked Verstappen for the great fight. If we are to believe the same Leclerc, it used to be very different during karting. Indeed, the two drivers "grew up together" through the racing classes and often ran into each other on the track.

In conversation with BBC.com, the Monegasque says that this year it is going to be very close. He also says that this has always been the case: "During karting, it was him or me and so we hated each other at one point. In fact, quite often it didn't end in a good way." Leclerc sees that he and his rival have two different ways of racing. He therefore also resigns himself to the fact that sometimes one driver wins and sometimes the other.