Charles Leclerc the Man to Beat After Australian Grand Prix Masterclass
News 18Charles Leclerc has long been touted as a Formula One world champion in the making and the Ferrari driver has emerged as the man to beat this season after a dominant victory in Melbourne. The 2022 campaign is just three races old, but the pace and reliability of Leclerc’s Ferrari — coupled with Max Verstappen’s problems at Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton’s travails at Mercedes — have seen him emerge as early favourite to win a maiden drivers’ title. Leclerc’s second victory came at the Italian Grand Prix in 2019, the team’s first victory on home soil since Fernando Alonso in 2010, prompting scenes of jubilation among the Ferrari faithful. “The mindset is a bit different compared to the last two years because now I know that underneath me I’ve got a car that is capable of winning,” said Leclerc. “I just have to do the job.” RED BULL ‘SO FAR BEHIND’ Leclerc’s upbeat assessment was in stark contrast to his title rival and fellow 24-year-old, Verstappen.