Leclerc needs to be "good in the head" to succeed at Ferrari
Eleven-time grand prix winner Rubens Barrichello believes Charles Leclerc needs to be "good in the head" to succeed at Ferrari in Formula 1.
Leclerc has landed a dream graduation to the famous Italian team after just one season at Sauber.
The 21-year-old stepped up to F1 with back-to-back titles in GP3 and Formula 2, and ex-Ferrari driver Barrichello reckons mentality will be key to Leclerc's next step.
"I'm super excited for him," Barrichello told Motorsport.com. "He's one of those young guys who really made his way through [impressively].
"To get into Ferrari [and be successful], the only thing you need is to be really good in your head. Talent, we know he has.
"It's going to be a good challenge for Seb."
Leclerc embarked on a rich vein of form after his Ferrari deal was announced, giving the first indication he is capable of handling the pressure of driving for the Scuderia.
He finished ninth in Singapore then earned his first 'Class B' win of the season at the next race in Russia, where he finished seventh after a stunning early pass around the outside of Kevin Magnussen.
Assaults from Magnussen and the other Haas of Romain Grosjean ruined his Japanese and United States GPs, but Leclerc rebounded with consecutive seventh-place finishes in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.
The last of those moved ex-Ferrari team boss Ross Brawn, now the sporting chief of F1, to declare that while Leclerc will need to make a "significant" step to handle Ferrari, his move could also force Vettel to raise his game.
"Leclerc has been pretty impressive," says Brawn. "He's not had a tough reference yet and that will come in 2019.
"Being at Ferrari brings enormous pressure and he'll have the pressure of racing against a world champion, a multi-world champion, so he's going to have a pretty challenging year.
"But from what I have seen so far, I expect him to do a very respectable job."
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF71H
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Sutton Images
Share Or Save This Story
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Fred Vasseur shuts down claims Ferrari split Spanish GP strategy to separate drivers
Charles Leclerc: Madrid qualifying to be "one of the most challenging" in F1 2026
Why Monza remains F1's eternal test of team bonds
Lewis Hamilton denies claims he is pushing Ferrari to replace key staff
Lewis Hamilton's Dawn Apollo Studios signs major new deal with Skydance Sports
Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur recall GP2 title and 'most impressive race ever', 20 years on
“Nothing is guaranteed” for Elfyn Evans as WRC title race still open after Saudi Arabia cancellation
Guenther Steiner fires back at Mohammed Ben Sulayem over Fernando Alonso remarks
MotoGP Austrian Grand Prix: Pedro Acosta tops Practice as KTM chases home win
Italy’s next F1 world champion?
Italy’s next F1 world champion?
What's behind the talks between the FIA president and Fernando Alonso over ADUO?
Fernando Alonso is right to sound the alarm about F1 - but history seems to be repeating itself
F1 doesn't need to change its VSC rules despite Lando Norris' Spain loss
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments