Frits van Amersfoort, the founder of the feeder series team Van Amersfoort Racing has worked alongside the likes of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Naturally, the Dutchman has all the data and knowledge available to compare the duo and present insights on their race craft and prowess.
Speaking to the Dutch branch of Motorsport.com, van Amersfoort claimed that Verstappen and Leclerc had the same racing pedigree, despite the #1 driver now boasting four F1 titles compared to Leclerc’s empty trophy cabinet. “I believe that Max and Charles are just as fast,” he said as quoted by F1Maximaal.nl.
The disparity between the two drivers’ title tally is owing to their respective teams as per van Amersfoort. “Only Charles is at Ferrari. And Ferrari is Ferrari. There, the team is always more important than the driver. And that’s a bit of a shame for Charles,” he added.
Back living the dream ❤️
So good to be driving again and to see all the tifosi at the track. Was a very special day for the team and Lewis as well and was really happy to be there to see it.
Can’t wait to get this season started. ️❤️ pic.twitter.com/d9m4QuP0h2— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) January 23, 2025
In his six-year stint with the Scuderia so far, Leclerc has rarely got full priority from his team. While the Monegasque was vastly superior to the four-time champion, Sebastian Vettel, in their two years together as teammates, Ferrari were in a tricky period back then with their car performance.
When Carlos Sainz joined the team as they rebuilt, it seemed like Leclerc could become the outright leader of the Maranello-based team. However, more often than not, Sainz’s consistent performances matching the #16 driver forced Ferrari to prioritize the overall team’s benefit again.
While Leclerc has had trouble establishing the team around him and subsequently pushing for a title bid, Verstappen has been the sole focus of Red Bull. Last year, with a dwindling RB20’s performance, team advisor, Helmut Marko had even suggested that the team were ready to sacrifice their Constructors’ title for Verstappen.
Can Leclerc make it work out for him at Ferrari in 2025?
The marked difference between Verstappen and Leclerc was the former’s ability to wrap the team around himself. For the Monegasque, this task becomes impossible because of the internal politics of the Scuderia.
“If you look at Red Bull: Max and the entire Verstappen clan have folded that team all around them. That’s simply not possible with Ferrari,” concludes the Dutchman. That said, in the past, the likes of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso have been able to rally the troops around them at Maranello.
Leclerc, on the other hand, isn’t seen as a political driver. Last season, the 27-year-old was undone by Ferrari’s indecisiveness on more than one occasion, as he could not put his interests above that of his teammate, Carlos Sainz.
With Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello, and the seven-time world champion’s strong relationship with team principal, Frederic Vasseur, Leclerc might find himself at more of a disadvantage given that Hamilton is in the category of the likes of Schumacher and Alonso when it comes to commanding the lead driver’s role at any team.
