Prominent F1 pundit Mark Hughes claims that Max Verstappen is not as aggressive towards Charles Leclerc in 2022 as he was with Lewis Hamilton the previous year. The Dutchman has engaged in high-intensity wheel-to-wheel racing all season long with the Ferrari driver but has managed to keep it clean so far.
Max Verstappen’s style of aggressive driving was a cause of significant criticism and debate in 2021, with his ‘all or nothing’ approach versus Lewis Hamilton arguably being the cause of multiple incidents between the two drivers. This year, however, the reigning world champion has demonstrated an increased wheel-to-wheel awareness and fairness, giving his rival, Charles Leclerc, enough room while still racing hard.
Leclerc and Verstappen have been battling hard since Bahrain’s season opener, but have managed to be courteous and fair throughout the season so far. Hughes, who writes for The Race and other publications, argues that the 24-year-old has changed his style of driving partly due to having one world championship title under his belt.
It is also worth keeping in mind that the Red Bull driver competed against Hamilton for six seasons in a car that was incapable of fighting for wins, and when he eventually got a chance to showcase his abilities in ‘equal machinery,’ he just would not yield.
Verstappen has refused to explain his change in driving style so far in 2022, but with half the season yet to be speeded, there is enough time for yet another change in approach from the Dutchman.
Charles Leclerc enjoys his battles with Max Verstappen in 2022
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have maintained a cordial relationship this season despite being the two main protagonists fighting for the title. Both drivers have been involved in some fierce wheel-to-wheel battles this season, but neither one of them has intensified things on the personal front.
Charles Leclerc was recently asked by the media to compare the two rivalries: Verstappen vs Hamilton in 2021 and Verstappen vs Leclerc in 2022. The Monegasque chose not to comment on what happened between the former pair last year. Instead, he focused more on how the current championship battle has stayed clean between him and the Dutchman, saying:
“I mean, honestly, on the battle of Max and Lewis, I’ve got nothing to say. I wasn’t in that battle and, unfortunately for me, I was fighting for less interesting positions last year! But the fight with Max [and myself this season]obviously I love it.”
He continued:
“We’ve known each other since a very long time [and] it’s always racing on the limits. You can argue that this year is a bit less aggressive than normal with the fights between us, but we’ve grown so throughout the years. We know each other’s weaknesses, we know each other very well, and that’s what makes it exciting – but there’s a lot of respect.”
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However, with the battle between Red Bull and Ferrari intensifying as we cross the halfway mark into the season, there is still plenty of time for the dynamic between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc to take a different turn.
