Charles Leclerc is seeing a silver lining in the escalating rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as the 2024 F1 season nears its climax. As Verstappen and Norris trade aggressive moves and penalties in their heated title race, Ferrari’s Monegasque ace has found himself in a prime position to inch closer to the championship leaders.
At the Mexican GP, Verstappen’s aggressive defense against Norris earned him two 10-second penalties, handing Leclerc a chance to capitalize on their battles. Reflecting on the on-track tensions between the top contenders, Leclerc admitted, “I’m glad that Max is as aggressive as possible towards Lando because this helps me.” With Verstappen and Norris occupied with each other, Leclerc sees a glimmer of opportunity to close the gap in the standings.
Currently, Leclerc trails Verstappen by 71 points, but he’s not giving up hope. For him, the Verstappen-Norris showdown offers a chance to be more competitive: “[It] gives me the chance to be closer to Lando in the Drivers’ championship, because for me, that’s still a fight.”
Though the Ferrari driver acknowledges that winning the world title may be a long shot, he’s focused on taking it one weekend at a time. “You have to focus on race by race. It is not under my control whether or not I can win the Drivers’ Championship… even if I had to win all the races, Max would need to have very few weekends and I don’t rely on that,” Leclerc stated.
Despite the points deficit, the 27-year-old driver is hopeful he can close the season strong, aiming to secure more victories for Ferrari and keep the championship suspense alive. As the final races approach, Leclerc’s optimism could propel Ferrari to a strong finish, giving fans a reason to watch the last rounds with bated breath.
