Is Verstappen really racing Leclerc differently to Hamilton?

OPINION: Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have engaged in two thrilling wheel-to-wheel scraps from the opening two 2022 Formula 1 races. Those haven’t ended in controversy, which has raised a question over how their rivalry compares to Verstappen’s against Lewis Hamilton in 2021

Author Alex Kalinauckas

Updated Mar 30, 2022, 9:01 AM

"It's hard racing, but fair. And every race should be like this."

Charles Leclerc handled defeat in last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix well. Hardly unexpected. Coming within five laps of a second successive victory for the first time since his back-to-back wins in Belgium and Italy in 2019, having gone through all Ferrari’s engine-power pain of the last two seasons, will instil sporting perspective.

But what also shone through the Monegasque driver’s words was his enjoyment of the fight against race winner Max Verstappen, who has forged the reputation of an unyielding, overwhelming force of F1 nature on his way to becoming the 2021 world champion.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.