Charles Leclerc should not be compared to former Ferrari star Gilles Villeneuve, according to Mattia Binotto. The Ferrari team principal has warned there was a ‘big difference’ between the two drivers in terms of the risk on track.
Villeneuve was killed in a horrific qualifying crash during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. The Canadian was thrown from his car after making contact with a March driven by Jochen Mass.
Speaking at the premiere of L’Aviatiore’, a film about Villeneuve’s life, Binotto said Ferrari has been ‘very active’ in improving the safety of the sport. According to GPblog.com, Binotto said: “It would be the same as comparing footballers from different eras.
“Gilles was a brave driver, always on the limit. Talking about tactics and strategy was pointless with him and Enzo Ferrari fell in love with that.
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“Before I am on a par with such big names I have to work very hard.” The 24-year-old has won two races this season and currently leads the Drivers’ Championship by 37 points from team-mate Carlos Sainz.
It is not the first time Leclerc has been compared to a Ferrari legend. Former driver David Coulthard said he was even having flashbacks to Michael Schumacher’s dominant time at Ferrari as he watched Leclerc this year.
He told Channel 4: “I had a little bit of a shiver actually, a flashback to when Michael was dominant in the Ferrari. All my fears came back again! We’ve got to acknowledge that he is a quality driver, a great human being.”
