Charles Leclerc began the 2022 F1 season with huge expectations on his shoulders. Pre-season testing in Bahrain last year showed that Ferrari has a car capable of fighting for wins and potentially even the Title. Consequently, he was right at the front in the first few races of the season, fighting alongside defending champion Max Verstappen for race wins.
Leclerc and Verstappen had a history of being rivals, and people felt that the animosity they built during their junior careers would follow in F1. However, both drivers insisted that the past was behind them and treated fans to clean and hard racing action. However, during these battles, Verstappen was sometimes accused of being too aggressive.
It wasn’t the first time the Dutchman received this feedback. Throughout the 2021 campaign, his battles with Lewis Hamilton led to severe backlash for the Red Bull Ace. As it turns out, even Leclerc feels that Verstappen is unnecessarily aggressive.
Also read: Mercedes mocks Max Verstappen for the offense that cost him about $50,000
Charles Leclerc calls Max Verstappen ‘aggressive’ on stream
Leclerc is a very avid streamer on Twitch and plays video games on the platform while interacting with his fans. He is a massive fan of the F1 game, and during a streaming session, he threw shade at Verstappen by calling him aggressive.
Leclerc was in an online lobby alongside Williams’ Alex AlSet featured image. The two drivers went wheel to wheel while racing in Spielberg when the former Red Bull driver forced him off the track. Leclerc had to rejoin but said, “Mate, you did a Verstappen!” while doing so.
Of course, this was said as a joke. However, Verstappen’s aggressive racing style has drawn plenty of criticism over the years. Regardless, the Dutch driver has gone on to become a great of the sport at just 25 years old. He won both the 2021 and 2022 World Championships and shows no signs of stopping.
Max Verstappen’s late charge was enough to help him overtake Charles Leclerc and win a thrilling #AustrianGP
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) June 30, 2019
Leclerc won two out of the opening three races, but after that, cracks began to appear in the team’s progress. Ferrari started making several mistakes in strategy, and their engine durability worsened. He ended up finishing the season in P2 behind Verstappen and will be hoping for a much better performance in 2023.
Also read: McLaren Boss Reveals What Frustrates Him About Lando Norris
