While four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel continues to struggle, his young teammate Charles Leclerc is emerging as Ferrari’s No. 1 driver.
The 21-year-old Leclerc clinched the first Formula One win of what is widely expected to be a stellar career at the Belgian Grand Prix. Vettel finished fourth despite starting second on the grid behind Leclerc.
Vettel is now 21 races without a win. Leclerc has one in just his 13th race for Ferrari and only his second season in F1.
He leads Vettel 3-1 in pole positions, and 6-0 in qualifying over the past six races. He showed great poise and nerve to hold off championship leader and five-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton late in Sunday’s race.
“His results speak for themselves,” Hamilton said. “It’s not easy for any driver to jump into a top team like Ferrari against a four-time world champion, with much more experience, and then to continuously out-perform, out-qualify and out-drive (him).”
Leclerc also gave Ferrari its first win since former driver Kimi Raikkonen’s victory at the United States GP last October.
Vettel’s last win came at last season’s Belgian GP. He is fourth in the championship and a massive 99 points behind Hamilton, having led and lost the past two championships to the British driver.