Leclerc's Best Bet To Stay With Ferrari Says Red Bull Simulator Driver Van Buren

Tuesday, 09 January 2024 at 17:00

Charles Leclerc's best option at the moment is to stay with Ferrari, according to Red Bull simulator driver Rudy van Buren.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc's contract with his team expires at the end of this year's season. The 26-year-old is currently in negotiations, but he is expected to stay with the Italian team.

Leclerc has been with Ferrari ever since 2019, and he has achieved 30 podiums and five victories with the team. However, he hasn't been given the title contending car yet and is still waiting for his first Championship win.

In his recent interview with RacingNews365, Rudy van Buren suggested there is currently no better place for Leclerc to go than Ferrari. He said:

"I don't think he is better off anywhere else. Fred Vasseur is there now, his first full year. Vasseur's changes will not come within a year either, it also takes time. He is a person I admire in that regard."

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The Ferrari driver is currently a holder of an unfortunate record for the most pole positions that weren't turned into race wins. He is currently at 23 poles without a win.

It is mostly because Ferrari cars have been competitive in Qualifying sessions and Leclerc has the speed to deliver the pole positions, but then he always lacked pace in the race and would get overtaken by Max Verstappen.

Leclerc has also been quite unlucky with his team's bad strategic decisions and the reliability of his car. Nevertheless, Van Buren believes the bad luck has to stop at one point.

"As Leclerc, I wouldn't know where he should go now. That the bad luck has to stop at some point and that they have to do strategic things every now and then, yes, it is clear."

As George Russell recently pointed out, the triple World Champion just finished his ninth season in F1. Verstappen achieved his first title in his seventh season.

It took some time for the Dutchman to get a car that is capable of winning Championships and it might be the case with Leclerc that he also has to just wait for a bit longer. Red Bull simulator driver added:

"In his case it is of course very difficult, but we have to wait and see. at the moment. Look, Max also had a Red Bull for several years with which he could occasionally win a race and now we are at two of these seasons."