Alfa F1 boss Vasseur explains Leclerc's "champion" traits

Leclerc enjoyed a stellar second F1 season in 2019 and outperformed team-mate Sebastian Vettel by winning two races to the German's one, and Leclerc's seven pole positions proved to be the highest tally of any driver last year.

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Leclerc also made some costly mistakes - notably in Azerbaijan and Germany, pictured below - which he later owned up to.

Vasseur, who was Leclerc's team boss in 2018, believes Leclerc has shown traits that make the 22-year-old a champion.

"I think it's one of the characteristics of Charles, but mainly of champions, [to be] very, very self-confident in the car and they can sometimes be able to do things coming from the moon because they have a huge self-confidence," Vasseur said.

"And this self-confidence allows them, when they are out of the car, to have self-criticism, to blame themselves because they know perfectly that they have the potential.

"They are a champion, and they can say 'OK, I had a poor drive today.'

"And it's only a champion who is able to say something like this.

"On paper, they are better than the others, but he's able to blame himself - OK, forget the session, I had a poor drive.

"And it's good for the team because when it's not the case, they could bring you in the wrong direction."

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Vasseur added he was delighted for the Ferrari driver, who he reckons deserves his success "200%".

"I'm pleased for him because he did a great season that could have been perhaps a bit better, without Bahrain and other races, but he did a great job," said Vasseur.

"He's got incredible pace in qualifying, this is quite impressive.

"I'm more than happy for him because, for me, he deserves it 200%.

"He's the only one that I keep an eye on."