“I think there are similarities”- Ferrari boss says Charles Leclerc has the same winning mentality as Michael Schumacher.
Mattia Binotto has full faith in Charles Leclerc, who sees Michael Schumacher’s reflection, who went onto seal a legendary status at the team with his unmatchable glory.
Binotto in the latest episode of Beyond the Grid Podcast claimed that Leclerc has the same personality traits. However, while Schumacher was already a leader at the team, Leclerc is still becoming one.
“Both are very talented drivers,” said Binotto. “I think that Charles is one driver that is certainly a talent; he’s fast, he’s capable of overtaking, he’s fantastic in protecting the position.”
“I think he’s got the mentality in which winning is a clear objective for him, and I think that what is pushing him in all his actions is that he will always try to win.”
“He is not simply there to participate, but I think he is there to win. And when he puts his helmet on, he is on track as a racer – second place is never satisfactory for him, as it wasn’t for Michael.”
He is developing well.
In the comparison between the two, Binotto did mention the head to head gulf between the two, which is apparently against Leclerc, Ferrari boss yet believes that Leclerc is still developing well.
“Charles is a lot younger to Michael at the time,” said Binotto. “He needs to develop as a leader of the team… because the success of Ferrari tomorrow will be dependent as well on the way; he will behave as a leader himself.
“But I think that while Michael was already a leader, Charles is developing as a leader. But he is developing well. I often compare it; I think there are similarities, no doubt,” he said.
“The first, I think, is that Ferrari at the time, 1995 to ’98, 2000, we were investing as we are investing today. Investing in technologies but investing in people as well, employing young people and young engineers.
“I look at Ferrari in the last years, we have employed a lot of young engineers, which today are starting, becoming our foundation and I think that there also was a leader, as a driver – Michael [Schumacher] at the time.”
“I think today we’ve got Charles [Leclerc] who is… not as experienced as Michael and is not a world champion while Michael was, but I think that we’ve got a clear leader on the track, as a driver, and that’s important as well.”
