As Off-Track Padel Competition Intensifies, Charles Leclerc Reveals Who’s The One to Beat

While F1 drivers are some of the most competitive sportspeople on the track, they are equally competitive off it. While some F1 drivers often compete against each other in sim racing, another sport that has become common among them is padel. As the competition intensifies in padel, Charles Leclerc has revealed which driver is the best in this sport.

When asked about the same in a recent interview, the Monegasque replied, “Oooh, now it’s getting really competitive! I think I am getting better and better. Carlos [Sainz] has always been very good. Carlos is probably the best“.

“which driver is the best padel player?”
charles: now it’s getting really competitive! i think i am getting better and better, carlos has always been very good. carlos is probably the best pic.twitter.com/0d2mMMVhna

— clara (@leclercsletters) May 30, 2024

This is not the first time that Charles Leclerc has praised Sainz and his own skills in padel. About two months ago, the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll had challenged Sainz and Leclerc to a game of padel, stating that they could beat the drivers of any other team.

When asked to comment on their challenge, Leclerc replied, “No, no, I honestly think that Carlos [Sainz] and I would be the best“. The 26-year-old then defended his remarks by explaining how Sainz and he have years of experience playing padel.

However, when it comes to other drivers, Charles Leclerc believes that they are still relatively new to the sport. While most F1 drivers are reluctant to admit that others are probably better than them at a sport, Max Verstappen is not one of them.

Max Verstappen has no shame in accepting he’s not good at padel

Max Verstappen has always claimed that he only enjoys competing in things he believes he is good at. However, padel is one sport that he has begun to enjoy despite admitting that he always loses in it.

When asked to reveal how his results have been against other drivers in padel, Verstappen once replied, “If I’m honest, I just lose”. While the Dutchman is certainly far from being the best in this sport, he has been making immense efforts to improve his skills, as per Daniel Ricciardo.

The Australian revealed in an interview earlier this year that he had asked Verstappen if he could borrow one of his racquets. In reply, the three-time F1 champion told Ricciardo that he could definitely borrow a racquet as he has 11 of them to practice.

Verstappen’s reply does seem to suggest that he does not just want to play padel to have fun off the track but he wants to play the sport to be the best at it among his peers. Therefore, he is definitely as competitive when he is off the track as he is on it.