Leclerc Would 'Come Out On Top' In Battle For Title With Sainz Suggest Klien

Wednesday, 27 December 2023 at 06:00

2005-2006 Red Bull Racing F1 driver Christian Klien compared the two Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Charles Leclerc finished the 2023 season in fifth place with 206 points, two positions ahead of his teammate Carlos Sainz with 200 points.

Ferrari drivers have been amongst the most equally matched teammates on the F1 grid during the most recent season. Christian Klien believes the Italian team has a strong lineup. He told RacingNews365:

"This year Carlos has shown what he has to offer. Ferrari has a good lineup. The two drivers get along well. They push each other because they have different strengths."

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Leclerc is considered by many to be the fastest driver on the grid in terms of raw natural speed, while Sainz is believed to be the better strategic driver.

"Leclerc has a bit more natural speed, but Carlos is a very hard worker. That dynamic works pretty well."

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur stated there is no number one driver in his team and that the Spanish and Monegasque drivers have gotten more than equal treatment in 2023. Klien agreed:

"I don't think there is a number one driver at Ferrari. If it is about pure speed, then maybe Leclerc, because he is the Ferrari driver at the moment."

While Leclerc won the season by a couple of points, Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win the race, as he showed one of his best performances during the Singapore Grand Prix.

Ferrari has not been in a position to deal with driver problems during the 2023 season. But they may arise once the team gets into a situation where they can fight for the Championship title. Klien added:

" I don't think there is a number one driver at the moment. However, if they have the best car, and fight among themselves for the world title, I think Leclerc will come out on top. He has just a bit more natural speed."