Promoted: Leclerc v Newgarden – challenge accepted!

Just how good is Leclerc with a magic marker? Read on for answers to this and other questions you never thought you’d ask.

Being a top-flight driver in any series is about precision, timing, intuition, and knowing the track inside out. So what happens when you blindfold two top drivers in their respective series – Leclerc from Formula 1 and Newgarden from IndyCar – and challenge them to draw famous circuits from memory?

The answer isn’t as slapstick as you might think. Rather annoyingly for those seeking calamitous outtakes, both drivers seemed very competent when we put pens in their hands and blindfolds over their eyes when we caught up with them in Mexico City in October.

Leclerc deserved the ‘podium’ for his unnervingly accurate circuits – but Newgarden should be applauded for being the only one of the two to successfully get his track to join up again (though where he decided to take it between start and finish is anybody’s guess!) Thankfully for Josef, this head-to-head is about more than just artistic skill. 

The drivers were quizzed on a variety of questions relating to their teams’ partnership with Shell, including in their own series, and each other’s. Newgarden, it seems, follows Formula 1 a little more closely than Leclerc follows IndyCar.

In the final round, the duo had to identify legendary drivers from their series using only a still, historic image. 

A real challenge, particularly for Newgarden – as IndyCar machines look remarkably similar season-to-season – but one which both drivers gave their best shot. How many of the quiz questions can you answer correctly?

Overall, Leclerc’s track-drawing skills just gave him the edge over Newgarden. Make sure you check out the video for the full story.