Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen discusses why Charles Leclerc was unable to win the 2022 title despite an early advantage.
Charles Leclerc lost the 2022 title race to Max Verstappen after the Dutchman claimed his 12th victory this season. Verstappen won his 2nd title as Leclerc finished 3rd, mathematically ruling him out of the championship.
But early on this season, it seemed like Ferrari was the most dominant team. The Italian team sported a fast car and had won 2 of the first 3 races.
Leclerc had a 46-point advantage over the Dutchman after his win in the 2022 Australian GP. And it seemed like 2022 will be the end to Ferrari’s 15-year wait for a Driver’s championship win.
But as the season continued, Verstappen dominated race after race. He claimed 12 wins and was unstoppable, making the biggest title comeback since the correct points system was introduced.
Charles stood on the podium in Suzuka as Verstappen was crowned the champion. And according to Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen, Charles’s “face on the podium said everything.”
He adds, “He was disappointed and today the reality struck that they just lost the championship. For a long time this season, it was still in his head that he could turn it around.”
Vermeulen shares Charles Leclerc’s biggest trouble
Charles Leclerc went wheel-to-wheel with Max Verstappen on numerous occasions. But the Red Bull driver was able to beat the Monegasque on most occasions.
Raymond Vermeulen says the high tyre degradation of the Ferrari F1-75 is to be blamed. Although it gave Leclerc a pace advantage, it made it difficult for the driver over the period of a race.
“Charles is equally talented. The pole position laps he put together this year were just unbelievable. He has the racecraft. But if you have a higher tyre degradation, then you can’t do much as a driver.”
Leclerc managed to claim 9 pole positions this season, but only managed to convert 3 wins from those. Compared to Verstappen who claimed just 5 pole positions.
He adds, “You need a car that performs for One and a half hours. And he just didn’t have that for most of this year.”
And Vermeulen clarified a lot of the mistakes that happened to both Ferrari drivers were because they seem to have quite a loose rear end. And if a driver puts pressure, as Sergio did to Charles in Japan, then it will always end in a mistake.
Also Read: Sergio Perez explains how he put pressure on Charles Leclerc to help Max Verstappen
Poor strategy and multiple errors spoiled Charles Leclerc’s season
Ferrari committed many strategy errors from poor tyre choices to flawed pitstops that hurt Charles Leclerc’s campaign. But the driver too committed many unforgiving errors like crashing out of the lead in France
And if you also add an unstable car to this equation, drivers will easily make a mistake. Something that happened time and time again in the 2022 season for Ferrari says, Vermeulen.
He stated, “If you’re already on the back foot, you’re going to push just that couple per cent more. That means you’re driving closer to the limit and it’s easier to make a mistake.”
But the Monegasque will be back for the title in 2023. Vermeulen adds, “But if he has the right package, I mean Charles Leclerc is a future Formula 1 champion.”
Also Read: Charles Leclerc realised the championship slipped from his hands after the Belgian GP
