Verstappen sees no connection: 'Some drivers are not great'

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc are fighting for the world title in Formula 1 this season. However, it is not the first time that both drivers are facing each other, because in karting they were also competing against each other. According to the Dutchman, however, that is no guarantee that a driver will also do well in Formula 1, he told Motorsport-magazin.com.

Whereas Verstappen was fighting seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton last season, the battle with Leclerc is a different story. Both drivers know each other like the back of their hand and therefore seem to have few surprises for each other.

Things certainly didn't always go kindly between the men, Leclerc told us candidly earlier this week. Verstappen and Leclerc did not like each other at all for a while, which made for exciting battles on the karting track. Nevertheless, the drivers kept respect for each other.

The drivers of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing often stressed that they had learned a lot from their time in the karting world. However, Verstappen is convinced that this does not have to mean that a life in the Formula One world is equally successful. "Some drivers are not great in the kart, but are great in the race car itself. And vice versa," Verstappen emphasizes.